Beginnings, Yukino and Haruka
by Biblia
Summary: When does love begin, where does it begin, how does it begin? Was it when we first met, so long ago? I remember clearly those days among the many we've shared...
1. The Beginning, Yukino

When did it start?

Was it when we first met? When she swooped in like some magnificent prince out of a fairytale, forcing those bullies off of me by sheer force of will? I remember it like it was yesterday...

"Hey squirt, me and my friends want to ask you some questions. Why do you always stay by yourself over here, huh? Is it 'cuz you don't have any friends? Yea, that's it, nobody wants to be friends with a weirdo like you." I remember his mocking laugh, and his little cronies echoing it behind him... I didn't want to be talking to him, I just wanted to play alone in the sandbox like I always did. I wanted to be by myself, to play pretend and not be alone. When I was alone, I could be with anybody I wanted, I could go on adventures with the people from my stories, I could be anybody I wanted to be. I didn't just have to be little "weirdo" me, but then these guys had to come and take that away from me. I remember the tears welling up in my eyes, and running down my young cheeks.

"No, I just... I mean, I have lots of fun over here by myself, an---"

"Yea, I bet you do, all alone without any friends. You think being by yourself is fun? You _are _stupid, aren't you? Stupid, boring, friendless, what's your name anyway? Wait, don't tell me, it doesn't matter, a little weirdo like you doesn't need a name. Little weirdo playing by herself every day." And again with his derisive laughter, echoed seconds after by the others.

"No! My name is Yuki--" I tried to tell them, thought that maybe if they knew my name, they would stop.

"Little dumb boring weirdo Nobody wants to be friends with the _weeeeirdoooo_." The wouldn't listen, and I felt more tears come. Why couldn't they just leave me alone? What did I ever do to them, I just wanted to play like I always did. They kept on teasing me, and teasing me, and I didn't do anything but sit there, and cry. Being the bullies they were, this only encouraged them to keep going, of course. But then, just when I was about to give up and go run inside. When I was going to find a little corner to be by myself in, to try and read one of my books and to forget about who I was and be a hero instead, for just a little bit anyway, a miracle happened.

"HEY! What are you guys doing to her!?" This girl ran up to us, and I couldn't help but marvel at her. It didn't matter about her size, or age, or scuffed knees, or anything: She looked as brave as the most courageous prince I'd ever read about, and as pretty as the most beautiful princess. She walked right up to me, this wonderful look of care in her striking violet eyes, before turning to my tormentors, her golden locks swinging behind her.

"What's going on here? Huh, you better tell me!" She wasn't afraid of those boys at all, not like me. She was big, and strong, and brave, and wonderful.

"Why should we? It's none of your business! Why don't you just go away little girl, go play with some dolls or something." It was the leader boy again, and for a split second I was afraid my champion was going to do just that, was going to go away. But then she did something I'll never forget. She marched right up to that boy, and stood nose to nose with him... well, nose to chin, he was a little taller. She looked up, and stared him strait in the eye.

"Why don't _you _go away! I don't like bullies like you stupid boys! Why don't you go eat some mud or some other dumb thing that boys do." She sneered at him, and he actually looked a little scared, I don't think anybody had ever talked to him like that. But, with his friends behind him, he wasn't going to back down to a girl.

"You can't talk to me like that!" He finally yelled. My savior just snorted, and she actually _laughed_. Even though he was a few inches taller than her, she suddenly seemed so much bigger than him.

"Yea? What are you gonna do about it?" And she _pushed him over. _I could have jumped up and cheered, if I wasn't still entranced by her. The boy was shocked, and landed on his behind in the grass, his friends trying to pick him up.

"Well? Do you still wanna stay here, or are you gonna leave before I get mad?" The girl walked back over towards me, and turned to face the boys once more, like she was my protector. The boys all looked angry, but they looked scared too, they didn't want a fight with _this _girl, they just wanted to pick on poor little me. She looked each of them in the eye, and then pointed her hand to the side.

"Well then go! Get out of here! Get lost you creeps, you morons, you bullies!" And after a few moments hesitation, that's what they did. I remember it so clearly, seeing my tormentors turn and run like little puppies with their tails between their legs, all because of this magnificent hero that came to my rescue. Then she turned towards me, still looking angry with those boys, bright eyes flashing like lightning. But then as she looked at me, kneeling on the ground with the remnants of tears still on my eyes and face, those eyes softened in a way that I will always remember, and always treasure whenever I get to see it.

"Hey, are you okay?" I could only kneel there, basking in her attentions. I knew I was staring at her, and that I should be answering her question, but I could only look upon my savior with adoration. We stared at each other for a few moments, and she started to look a little uncomfortable, so she finally said.

"Um.. okay then. I'll see you later, I hope you won't let those guys bother you again." And she started to walk away. I panicked, for a reason I didn't even know back then, and scrambled to my feet, running after her.

"Wait! Thank you very much for saving me from those bullies. You were great!" I smiled up at her, wanting to make sure she knew just how much I liked her and what she had done for me.

"Eh, thanks, um... what's your name?" We were both standing facing each other now, her looking just a little bit down to meet my eyes, because she was taller than me.

"My name is Yukino, Kikukawa Yukino." I folded my hands before me, and bowed slightly.

"Okay then. Thanks Yukino, I was happy to help. I don't like bullies. My name is Haruka, too, Suzushiro Haruka." She offered a hand, and I took it shyly.

"Well, glad to meet you Yukino, maybe we'll see each other again some time?" And she started to go once more. Without really meaning to, I found myself trailing her. I didn't even feel like I needed to say anything, it felt so natural to just follow along behind her, my quick little steps echoing in the wake of her determined stride. She kind of felt me behind her, and turned her head.

"Er, Yukino, are you following me?" She asked, but she didn't really seem at all off-put about it, just asking a question. I couldn't think of anything else to say, so went with the simple truth.

"Yes."

"Um, I heard a little bit of what those boys were saying. Do you really not have any friends to play with?"

I shook my head.

"Well, I don't really either. Do you want to be friends?" She said it so simply, so effortlessly, she couldn't have known that she just made my little five-year-old dreams come true. I smiled really big, and nodded my head.

"Yes, Haruka-chan, I want to be friends."

"Okay, we're friends then. Let's go play."

"Okay, Haruka-chan."

She started walking again, and I found myself naturally finding a place just behind and to the side of her. We walked through that park, that day and so many others past that. We played like ordinary children, and she was always there for me. I never had to worry about being picked on, or teased, or bullied again, because from that day on, she was always with me.

So, was that when it started? Was that when I first started falling in love with my Haruka-chan? Was it so simple as that, so simple as she being the noble hero that swept me, the poor damsel, off my feet and carried me away to a castle where she wouldn't let anybody hurt me again?

Whatever it was, there's no doubt about it. I love my Haruka-chan, and I won't let her down. I hear her call my name, and I snap out of my reverie, it's time to go do our duty, and I have my part to play too. I run forward to catch up, and smile at her. I laugh inwardly as I see her exasperated expression. I wonder if she's really so concerned about her job, or if she was worried that she might have lost me. Don't worry Haruka-chan, you've always been there for me, and that's how I always want it to be. We walk now, eleven years from then, across the grass, and I can't help but think of that little girl from so many years before. I look fondly at the woman she grew to be. Still so full of that childhood faith in truth, and honesty, and justice... I vow that I'll continue to do my best to make as much of that world a reality for her, for all she's done for me.


	2. The Beginning, Haruka

I let out a contented sigh, burying my face in the pillow in a vain attempt to detain the morning light. This one time, this once, I've decided to let the sun have the victory. For so long I was always up with the sun, or well before it, but today all I want to do is lay here and bask in these new feelings that I avoided for so long. I can smell the rich aroma of coffee on the brew, Yukino having finally gotten up before me and put the pot on. I smile, thinking about my newfound love. That young woman with her ever-ruffled hair, and sweet hazel eyes, and delicate little mouth. I think back, and wonder when it was that the driven Suzushiro Haruka changed so very much.

When did it start?

Was it when we first met? When I saw her suffering under the abuse of those childhood hoodlums? When I felt my heart first go out to that quiet little girl, first felt her eyes fixed upon mine with such love? What I now realize was love anyway. I remember it like it was yesterday...

I didn't often socialize back then, nobody really seemed to like me all that much. I guess I had higher standards of friendship than the other girls, but I wasn't about to tolerate injustice or dishonesty in those I befriended. So often I would merely wander about alone, thinking my own thoughts about school, and growing up, and saving the world. The boys and girls had already learned the hard way that I was no poor specimen to be victimized, so I was left to my solitude much of the time.

This is what I was doing on that day, I remember. I was just walking around, when I heard the unmistakable sound of cruel, teasing laughter, something I can't hear to this day without feeling my blood boil. I looked around, but either nobody else had heard the same note in that laughter, nobody heard the laughter at all, or worse, nobody cared. Furrowing my eyebrows and gritting my teeth, I remember taking my little six-year-old self towards the source of the sound, determined even then to halt all wrong-doing whenever I came across it. Coming up to the sandbox, I caught my first glance of their victim, and remember my breath catching, my stomach fluttering just a bit. She looked so oddly beautiful, in a way. Hands and legs dusted with sand, kneeling down on the ground, and tears running from her hazel eyes. She was so innocent, so caring, even then. She didn't seem able to comprehend how there could be bad things in the world, and didn't know how to deal with them. I heard them calling her names, calling her stupid and friendless, and it made me see red.

"Hey!" I found myself yelling, running towards them, "What are you guys doing to her!?" I looked at the girl to make sure she was okay, but lost sight of her as I turned fully towards the group menacing her. I knew this boy, having seen him and the two others do the same teasing towards other girls before. I hadn't been able to do anything then, because their victims always had friends to come to the rescue, but wasn't about to let this bully hurt this little girl behind me.

"What's going on here, huh? You better tell me!" I was pretty sure I knew what had been happening, but I wanted to her him say it. I wanted to hear him admit his cowardly act, admit it out loud for me and the girl to hear. Of course, like all bullies, he instead turned all guilt and blame for his own actions on somebody else.

"Why should we? It's none of your business! Why don't you just go away little girl, go play with some dolls or something." I was already angry at this point, but a stupid and gutless remark like this actually reinforce my convictions to teach him a lesson. None of my business? It was none of his business to be here in the first place! And who was he to be talking about girls? I stomped up to him, and got right in his face.

"Why don't _you _go away! I don't like bullies like you stupid boys! Why don't you go eat some mud or some other dumb thing that boys do." I rolled my eyes at him and sneered. It was obvious that this was the first time anybody had given this guy any trouble, and you could see the apprehension in his eyes, along with his taking a tentative step back. After looking to his cronies for support, he finally stepped forward and drew himself up.

"You can't talk to me like that!"

... That was the best he could do? I laughed in his face, most bullies weren't smart anyway, I thought. I took a deep breath and stared him straight in the eye. I'd had about enough of his nonsense, and decided to speak a language he could understand.

"Yea? What are you gonna do about it?" And I put my hands on his chest and shoved, bowling him right back on his rear end. He managed to entangle himself in the others on his way down, snatching for something to catch his fall, and I watched them try to sort themselves out and get him back on his feet.

"Well? Do you wanna stay here, or are you gonna leave before I get mad?" To add insult to injury, I turned my back on their fumbling and stepped back over to the tousle-headed girl. I avoided meeting her eyes for the moment, needing to keep my focus on the three boys, but I did take enough time to notice that she had stopped crying, and her eyes were shining with thanks. Seeing that one sight would have made the entire experience worth it ten times over, knowing without a doubt that I had done the right thing and helped this little girl. I turned back to her tormentors and pointed my hand away from the sandbox.

"Well then go! Get out of here! Get lost you creeps, you morons, you bullies!" Which they did, after only a moments hesitation. They'd never dealt with a Suzushiro Haruka before, no they hadn't! I watched them turn tail and scurry off with grim satisfaction, before finally getting the opportunity to turn around and speak to the girl I'd chased them off for. As I looked on her, seeing her eyes still sparkling with the remnants of tears, and auburn hair sticking up all over, I couldn't help but forget about the boys, and felt that little flutter in my stomach again, and felt my heart reach out to her. I didn't know what any of that meant, and I didn't know anything about how to express things like that, so I just said the first thing that came to mind.

"Hey, are you okay?" She just sat there on the ground, looking amazed that somebody had not only came to her aid, but was now talking to her. I wasn't really good with talking to other people, so I didn't have a whole lot of things to pick from to say next.

"Um.. okay then. I'll see you later, I hope you won't let those guys bother you again." I felt bad, just walking away like that, something felt wrong about just leaving her there, but I didn't know what else to do. I had only taken a few steps, though, when I heard light footsteps rapidly approaching, and turned around.

"Wait! Thank you very much for saving me from those bullies. You were great!" She said, beaming her gratitude. I still melt a little inside when I think about that sincere and honest smile that lights up her face every time she wears it. I was a little embarrassed at her thankfulness, and once again had no real idea of how to respond.

"Eh, thanks, um..." I suddenly realized that I didn't even know her name, "What's your name?" I tilted my head so that I could look directly into her eyes.

"My name is Yukino. Kikukawa Yukino." She folded her hands in front of her, and bowed slightly towards me. I smiled at her, proper little thing that she was.

"Okay then. Thanks Yukino, I was happy to help. I don't like bullies. My name is Haruka, Suzushiro Haruka." I offered my hand, and she took it shyly. After a few seconds of contact, we both let go, and stood there for another silent moment. Once again I had no clue what to say next, and just went with what first came to mind.

"Well, glad to meet you Yukino, maybe we'll see each other again some time?" I still didn't feel right about just leaving her, but what else was I to do? I never had any real friends before, how was I supposed to know what friendship was supposed to be like? Once again, however, I sort of _felt _more than heard her following after a walking a short distance, and looked over my shoulder. I knew she would be there, but it still lifted my spirits in a hard to explain way, just seeing her there. Social skills failing me again, I asked the simple obvious question.

"Er, Yukino, are you following me?" I meant it as simply that: a question, and Yukino seemed to understand that well.

"Yes." She said, equally honestly and simply. I was curious, and decided to continue talking with her. It was different talking with her, we seemed to understand each other so well, so sincerely when we were both children.

"Um, I heard a little bit of what those boys were saying. Do you really not have any friends to play with?" She shook her head.

"Well, I don't really either. Do you want to be friends?"

"Yes, Haruka-chan, I want to be friends."

"Okay, we're friends then. Let's go play."

"Okay, Haruka-chan."

And so I set off across the park, somehow knowing that she would follow. We didn't have to say anything, then. Later on I started vocalizing things more, just something that came with age. But even through what came to be our common "Let's go, Yukino." and "Yes, Haruka-chan", we both knew deep down it wasn't really necessary. Where I went, she went. She was always there, always supporting me and protecting me, in her own way.

Back in our room, eleven years from then, I ease myself up in the bed. Opening my eyes and letting in the light of the most wonderful day I'd ever awoken too, I spy Yukino in our small kitchen, fixing us a light breakfast, clad only in a long t-shirt. I smile as I realize that I haven't really changed at all, I've just found something much more worthwhile to put my energy and drive towards. I get up, wrapping myself in the blanket, and walk to her. She glances over at the sound of my approach, and smiles that enchanting, honest smile. I brush my lips lightly on hers, and then pull her into an embrace, burying my face in her unruly hair. She was always there for me, and I was only sorry that it had taken me so long to realize it. I look at her and think of that quiet young girl, so sweet and innocent, and am so very glad that she managed to keep that, through everything she'd had to go through alone. Now, I'm not going to let you go through anything alone ever again, Yukino. You were always there to support me, and I'm always going to be here for you.


	3. The Second Day

"Well then class, it's almost time for dismissal. Does anybody have any questions about what we covered today?" When greeted with the customary silence, our instructor merely shrugged.

"Fine then, but I better not get any bad grades on this next test. Class dismissed."

I gathered my things, already neatly organized on my desk top. Merging with the flow of students towards the door, I headed for the council room like usual. Our work was never done it seemed, mine and my Haruka-chan's, but that was okay; at this point during the day, I was just looking forward to seeing her again.

"Hey Yukino-chan, how're you doing?" Mai-san asked, walking with me for a few steps, "Going to meet Suzushiro-san right now for some executive stuff?"

"I'm doing well, Mai-san, how are you? Yes, I am going to meet Haruka-chan, we always have something to do. Are you going to meet Mikoto-chan right now?"

"Yep, I can't leave her to starve now, can I? I'll see you later Yukino-chan."

"Bye, Mai-san, say 'hello' to Mikoto-chan for me."

"Hey Yukino-chan." Now it was Kuga-san, sidling up next to me as I walked, "Heading for the council room?" I nodded.

"Me too, Shizuru wanted me to go there after class." I couldn't help but smile. Kuga-san had been notorious for missing class, but now she was staying longer than needed? It was interesting to see Kuga-san's subtle transformation since the festival; and more importantly, since she and Fujino-san had gotten closer. She was still curt and gruff as usual, but she also wore an easy smile more often nowadays, and seemed more at ease. That was what love could do for a person, I guess.

"You and Fujino-san are very close, aren't you, Kuga-san?" I asked. I wondered idly if my Haruka-chan would change at all, were she to find somebody to love. Would she smile that wonderful smile more often? Kuga-san blushed a bit, but managed a smile. Even she knew it wasn't exactly a secret around school that she and the President were together. She didn't answer though, which was fine with me, I hadn't really expected one.

We finished the rest of the walk in silence, and came to the council room.

"So President, you sure you'll be able to handle things if I'm not around this weekend? I won't be that far from campus, if you should require assistance from the executive team." Haruka-chan's voice through the partially open door spoke volumes of reluctance for leaving the President in charge.

"I'll manage somehow Suzushiro-san. You enjoy your time with your family."

We opened the door just in time to see Fujino-san raising her teacup to her lips, in her classic method of punctuating statements.

"Hello Kikukawa-san."

"Hello Kuga-san."

Haruka-chan and Fujino-san spoke at the same time, the former to Kuga-san and the latter to myself. It might seem odd, at first, but saying "hello" to one another wasn't something Haruka-chan and I did often; being together wasn't something that had to be acknowledged, it was something that just should be. Apparently, it was something of the same for Kuga-san and Fujino-san now.

I watched as Kuga-san walked over to Fujino's desk, and as the latter arose to embrace the younger girl. At a previous time, I think that Haruka-chan would have probably looked pointedly away and made a quiet comment on the wrongness of their relationship--this being after her more dramatic outbursts earlier--but this time she didn't, she just kept calmly gathering her possessions.

"Hey Yukino, ready to go?" She asked.

"Yes, Haruka-chan." I said. Haruka-chan straightened, and turned to face the other two in the room.

"I'll be taking my leave then, Fujino-san, Kuga-san. I'll be back on Monday to resume my duties."

"Goodbye then Suzushiro-san, Kikukawa-san. I'll try to keep the school standing until then."

Haruka-chan and I left the other two to their business, which I couldn't help imagine was quite fun and something that I'd like to also be enjoying soon, but rather doubted I ever would.

"So Yukino, are you sure you want to come with me this weekend? It would be nice to have you along. I love my parents, but since I've moved to the campus dormitories, they've been a little over-exuberant whenever I go to visit." Haruka-chan had told me about them the last time she visited, for just an afternoon. Apparently no matter what they thought of me, they didn't think Haruka-chan should be living away from home when home was such a short distance away, especially after all the strange things that had happened a while back. From the way Haruka-chan described it, it had been the most violent and intense exchange of pleasantries and light conversation that had ever been, with her parents not-so-subtly hinting that she should come back home, and her hinting even less subtly that she was not going to.

"I'm sure, Haruka-chan, maybe it will help to have me along this time. I sure don't want to spend this weekend alone; and you're parents like me well enough." She smiled.

"Thanks Yukino. If this is going to be like last time, I wasn't really looking forward to two days alone with them, my parents or not."

We started towards our dorm room, intending to pack up for our two days away. There was another time, I remember, a bit like this one. Was it really ten years ago? I remember so clearly...

XXXXXXX

Going back to school on Monday was kind of strange. I tried to listen, I really did, but the only thing I could think of was that girl who helped me yesterday at the park. We said we were going to be friends, but then I had heard my parents call me to leave and I had to go. We said we were going to be friends, but what would happen now? I didn't want to think about never seeing my new friend again, but when would I ever get too...

Back to school on Monday then. I tried to force myself to think about what the teacher was saying, but I kept thinking about that little girl I talked to at the park yesterday. It still felt a little bit strange to think "friend", but that's what we were now, right? Then her parents had called to take her home, and I had been thinking about her ever since. Oh well, maybe I would have more time to talk to my teacher about anything I didn't get after class. I just got told that my parents were going to be working really late again, which wasn't new, but my babysitter had to go out of town, so I had nowhere to go after school. I was going to have to wait here until around six or seven o'clock...

I stepped outside, single file with the rest of my class. When we got outside, I walked over to my favorite tree where I always waited for my parents, and sat down. I pulled out my new library book to begin reading, but then I just saw way over across the crowds of people...

I had to come out with the rest of the class, even though I was going to be staying at school. My teacher couldn't leave me in the room by myself, and she had to take our class outside to wait to be picked up. I sat down on the steps to wait for my teacher to come back and take me inside.

It was Haruka-chan, I was sure of it. I hadn't even thought about her going to my school. She was sitting on the steps over there, by the door where the people in year two got out. She was just sitting there, and she looked sad. Why wasn't she down with the other kids waiting for her parents? I opened my backpack and put the book back in, getting up and walking towards my new friend. When I was halfway there, a teacher walked over to Haruka-chan, and they both walked inside. Now I was a little bit worried, was Haruka-chan in trouble? I didn't care what had happened, I was sure that it wasn't her fault, and she didn't deserved to be in any trouble! I started to go faster, trying to catch up with them.

I saw Haruka-chan and the teacher disappear inside the doors, and went as fast as I could to get over there. But, by the time I did and went inside, they were both out of sight, and I wasn't sure if I could go inside the empty school all by myself. But then I thought about Haruka-chan's sad face and asked myself what she, my new hero and friend, would do in this situation. So I walked inside and started down the empty hall, trying to be brave.

I was walking past a door in the building when one of them opened and a teacher walked out. She was about to run right over me, but saw me at the last second and stumbled off to the side. I thought for sure I had done something wrong and was going to get in trouble, but all thought like that vanished when I saw the other person who was coming out of that classroom...

XXXXXXX

My teacher had finally come back, and she took me back inside. She said she had to stay at school for a long time to grade and stuff anyway, so she would be here to look after me until my parents could come. I guess it won't be so bad, staying at school. It sure was going to be a little lonely though, but how was that different? It's not like I had any friends to go and play with after school. Except, now I did have a friend. That cute little girl named Yukino. I wondered how she was doing now, and hoped she was happy.

My teacher said that we wouldn't be staying in her classroom, and would go to the teacher's lounge, but that she had to pick up a few things from the classroom first. I asked her if I would be able to ask her questions about school while I was stuck here, and she said she would help me. I hoped that would help the time go faster. She picked up her teacher notebook and a bunch of papers from her desk, and we started to leave. She opened the door and walked out, me right behind her, but then all of a sudden she stumbled and looked like she feel off to the side.

"Haruka-chan!"

I heard the voice right before I saw the little girl it came from. Yukino, here? I didn't have enough time to think too much about it, as she ran over and gave me a hug. I hadn't even thought about seeing her at school, but of course she went here too.

"Yukino! What are you doing here?"

"I saw you coming back inside, and you looked sad. I thought something might be wrong, Haruka-chan."

"And who might you be young lady?" Yukino looked stricken as my teacher asked her that, picking herself up off the floor and looking slightly irritated, though she gentled her face when she saw how scared Yukino looked.

"This is my friend Yukino, ma'am," I answered when it didn't look like Yukino was going to be able to talk.

"Thank you, Haruka-san. Okay then Yukino-san, maybe a better question is what are you doing inside right now? Shouldn't you be on your way home or waiting for a ride?" Yukino was still looking shy and worried, so I kept answering my teacher's questions.

"She said she saw me waiting outside and then coming back in. Yukino just wanted to make sure I was okay, please don't be mad at her."

"Thank you Haruka-san. Well, Yukino-san, you can see that your friend is fine now, how about you go outside for your ride before anybody worries, okay?" Yukino still looked unsure.

"Are you sure that everything is okay, Haruka-chan? You aren't in trouble or anything, are you? You shouldn't be in trouble, no matter what happened."

"No Yukino, I'm not in trouble, it's just that I'm gonna have to stay at school for a little bit while I wait for my parents to come pick me up, but I'm okay."

"How long are you going to have to wait, Haruka-chan?"

I tried to make it sound like no big deal when I answered, I didn't want Yukino to worry about me anymore.

"Oh, just a few hours, Yukino, I'll be fine. My babysitter just had to go out of town really quick, or else I'd be going home." I don't know why I said I had a babysitter, when I really didn't. Sometimes on the weekend, if they had to work all day, but not most of the time.

"But it can't be fun to stay at school when you're supposed to go home!" Yukino answered sorrowfully, and scrunched up her face. "I know, maybe you could come over to my house!"

"Really, Yukino, you think I could?" I thought that sounded _really_ nice. Surely better than being here at school. Yukino smiled that bright cute smile I remembered from before, and I felt that funny feeling in my stomach again. Like that little tickle you feel just right before you laugh, is this what it was like to have a friend?

"Now wait, you two. Haruka-san, you don't have your parents permission to do that, and you don't either Yukino-san. I know you two are friends, but maybe you could try this some other--"

"Pleeeeeaase?" Haruka-chan and I said at the same time. We looked at each other, and then Haruka-chan started asking the question.

"Please, you could call my parents and ask them, and Yukino could ask her parents when they get here to pick her up. If they say no that's okay, but could you let us ask, please?" Yukino and I both looked as sad as we could, trying to make her say yes. After a moment, the teacher finally sighed. She laid her head to the side, hair swishing, and smiled at both of us.

"Okay, okay, we can ask. Let's go to the teachers lounge, there's a phone in there." Yukino smiled really big, and turned around and gave me another big hug. This time I returned it as we jumped up and down in happiness. After my teacher looked back at us, we quickly stopped and followed her.

My teacher called my mom at work, and I asked her about going over to my new friends house. She didn't sound like she was going to let me go, but after I got Yukino's home phone number and gave it to my mom, she finally said it was okay. Now it was up to Yukino's parents.

"You can come, Haruka-chan!" Yukino yelled to me, after we had gone outside to see her parent's small, light blue care waiting outside and she had talked a lot to her parents through the window. I smiled and walked over, and opened the backseat door so she could get in first. I followed her, and got my first look at Yukino's parents.

"Well then, is this our Yukino's new cute little friend? What's your name?" This was her mother, a sweet looking lady with long auburn hair and a sprinkling of freckles across her nose, just like Yukino. The eyes were different though, Yukino's mom had deep green eyes.

"My name is Suzushiro Haruka, Mrs. Kikukawa."

"It's nice to meet you Haruka-san, we're happy to have you over today." I couldn't think of any way to respond to that, I wasn't very good at talking to other parents.

"So, Haruka-san, do you have any idea when your parents usually get off work?" This was her father speaking now, a serious-looking man with disheveled hair and glasses. Behind those glasses I could see where Yukino got her hazel eyes from, though they didn't have the same brightness as my friend's.

"They usually come home at around six or seven o'clock, Mr. Kikukawa, but sometimes I'm already asleep by the time they finally come home."

"Okay, looks like you might be having dinner with us, is that okay?" Mrs. Kikukawa was speaking again.

"Oh yes ma'am, I'm bet you're a very good cook."

"I'd like to think so too, thank you Haruka-san. But, it's Mr. Kikukawa here who's the cook in the family."

"Oh! I'm sor--"

"It's okay, Haruka-chan." I turned around to see Yukino smiling at me, and I smiled in return. Maybe I was a little scared about just going over here so fast, and meeting her parents, even if I was really happy about it too.

Mr. Kikukawa pulled up to a house soon, a nice house in a nice neighborhood. Yukino looked happy to be home and quickly opened the door, hand motioning me to follow her.

XXXXXXX

I waved for Haruka-chan to follow me, I really wanted to show her around my house. We waited while my parents unlocked and opened the door, and I hurried inside. I showed her all the regular stuff, like the main room and the kitchen, and started walking down the hall to my room.

"Oh, Yukino, is that your cat?" I turned around, I had forgotten about Kitty. The small calico cat was laying on the floor where Haruka-chan was pointing, staring at us.

"Yes, Haruka-chan, that's our Kitty. C'mon." I started walking over to him, but when Haruka-chan followed he ran off, hiding under the table. I turned to Haruka-chan.

"I'm sorry, Haruka-chan, I guess it'll take him a little bit of time to get used to somebody new."

"That's okay, Yukino, what's his name?"

"Kitty, we just call him Kitty..." I said, almost apologetically, thinking that he should have a better name, but Haruka beamed reassuringly at me.

"Kitty sure is cute, maybe he'll feel more like playing later. Where were we going again?"

"Maybe he will. Oh yeah, I was going to my room. Let's go, Haruka-chan."

I took Haruka-chan to my room. When we walked in, I heard Haruka-chan's footsteps stop. When I looked at her, she was looking around my room like she was really surprised. I felt good, then. I always thought my room, with everything all in shades of green, was very nice. It was a good time of day, too, and the sunlight was streaming in brightly through the window. Everything was decorated in shades of green, my parents liked to do rooms in colors. The other nice parts were my bookshelf and my tea-set. Sitting at my little table with the tea-set were Hikari and Prince, my stuffed pink bunny and big yellow teddy bear.

"Oh, what are those books you have there, Yukino?" Haruka-chan asked finally. I was glad, because I wasn't sure what to do next. I smiled at her and took her hand pulling her over there.

"These are my favorite stories, Haruka-chan. I like to read books, and these are the favorite ones that I have." I explained proudly.

"What are they about?" She asked curiously.

"You want to know?" I was surprised, not a whole lot of people were interested in the books I brought to school.

"I asked, right?" She said kindly, and laughed. I felt my cheeks warm up a little bit.

"Okay, come over here then, Haruka-chan." I picked out a couple of books and walked her over to the table.

XXXXXX

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Suzushiro-san, we were happy to have little Haruka-san over, she's a very good friend for Yukino."

"We're happy to hear that, but it's time for us to take her home, my apologies for your having to keep her so long."

"No trouble at all, really. She and Yukino are down the hall, they fell asleep while playing."

Footsteps traveled down the hall, and cracked open the door, letting in a beam of light. Inside, the group of parents could see their children. The tea-set was scattered about, along with its two plush members. As for the other two, they were fast asleep. Little Yukino was curled down on the floor, using Haruka's folded legs as a pillow, while Haruka rested upon Yukino's tousled head, arms wrapped around her looking very protective. The both had a blanket draped over them, because Mrs. Kikukawa thought they might get cold.

"Thanks again for having her, Mr. and Mrs. Kikukawa-san."

"Any time, if you ever have to work late again. They sure do look cute together, don't they?"

"Yes, I'm almost reluctant to take Haruka away, but we need to get her home." Both mothers stepped into the room to pull them apart, so Yukino could get into bed and Haruka could go home. Mrs. Suzushiro tried to lift Haruka, but at the movement Yukino reached and grasped onto Haruka's dress, while Haruka awakened slightly and squirmed, trying to get back down to Yukino.

"Mmm.. Haruka-chan?' Yukino mumbled sleepily, cracking her eyes open. Mrs. Kikukawa gently loosened her hold and picked Yukino up, moving her over to her bed. After a few more moments of slight struggle, Haruka lay still and fell back asleep in her mother's arms.

"Maybe sometime Haruka-san will be able to stay the night? I think they would both enjoy that." Mrs. Kikukawa whispered after they had exited the room.

"Maybe sometime, we'll see."

XXXXXXX

"You okay, Yukino? You look flushed," I looked quizzically at Yukino. She didn't seem ill, but even as she looked up, I could have sworn that she reddened further.

"No, Haruka-chan, I'm fine. Just thinking about something," she replied. I smiled at her her, looking so cute like that. Yukino could be so shy sometimes, and I wondered what she was thinking about. I was doing some thinking too. For some reason, I found myself remembering the first time I'd ever gotten to go to Yukino's house when she had "saved" me from the--I smiled at this thought, just like a seven-year-old to think so--"horror" of staying after school. Seemed like ever since I met her, Yukino was coming up with ways to keep me company. This trip was already looking infinitely better now that she was coming along, just like my whole life has been better ever since she came along into it. I finish packing.

"Well Yukino, ready to go?"

"Yes, Haruka-chan."


	4. Middle School: Part 1

I stepped out from the shiny black limousine that Haruka-chan's father had seen fit to provide us with, feeling slightly self-conscious about being transported in so grandiose a manner. Haruka-chan was already standing on the other side of the vehicle, shaking her head and scowling. I'd gotten to enjoy an earful of what she thought of her father and his limousine and his request for her visit, and none of it had been altogether flattering.

Trying to take my mind of the potential unpleasantness of this family reunion, I turned to face Haruka-chan's house. Or villa, rather. Every time I came to this place, I could hardly believe how far her family had come in the short time that I'd known them. It was easy to see where Haruka got her sheer stubborn grit from, that was for sure.

"C'mon, Yukino, let's go get settled in. This might be a long weekend." Haruka-chan scrunched her face into the expression I knew from experience heralded a developing headache.

"But it should be better than last time, at least I've got you here." She added, and I suddenly felt much better about this visit. We walked into the main foyer, where Haruka-chan's parents stood in wait. I was almost always happy to see them, as they were to see me. They already liked me for being Haruka-chan's best, and arguably only, friend. I, on the other hand, really appreciated the fact that they had, nearly eighteen years ago, seen fit to make a Haruka-chan for me to love and hug and and all manner of other fun things.

"Good day, Mr. Suzushiro, Mrs. Suzushiro." I said politely, bowing. They smiled tensely back at me, their attention more focused on their daughter. Haruka stood there, doing nothing overtly offensive. She had been raised far too properly for anything that disrespectful, but there was a clear preemptive defiance in everything from the placement of her feet to the angle of her elbow.

"It's so good to see you, too, Yukino-san. I tell you, we don't get to see _nearly_ as much of our lovely daughter as we _should_, but we're glad to know that she still has you." Haruka-chan's mother's eyes darted to her daughter in the middle of that sentence, clearly indicating who the real recipient of that message was, and Haruka-chan's eyes tightened perceptively. I felt my smile freezing to my face, and my mind shifting to the realization that this might not be such a pleasant weekend after all. Still, I reasoned, it wouldn't be the first time I'd been in this kind of situation. There was another time I was looking forward to getting more time with my Haruka-chan, which didn't look like it was going to work out at first at all, but that had turned out okay...

XXXXX

I stood in my room. Thin rays of morning light sifted through the blinds over the window, reflecting off of the full-length mirror I stood in front of. The soft yellow rays lit upon my skin, adding an attractive golden tone, and reflected rich highlights in my short auburn hair, like burnished copper. I loved that effect, but then I felt for sure that my glasses were just a little crooked, and my ribbon wasn't tied quiet perfectly, and my skirt was far, far too wrinkly. When I finished arranging myself to satisfaction, only took about ten minutes, I grinned at my reflection and twirled around with a wild abandon, admiring the swish of my skirt over hips that I couldn't even pretend were rounding out yet. A short chirp of a giggle escaped me, as I thought that it almost felt like I was readying myself for a date, when I was only getting ready for school.

Well, perhaps that was unfair. This _was _my first day of junior high school, and that was pretty important, after all. With that in mind, I knelt down by my door and looked through my school pack again. I had already double and triple-checked it the night before, making sure I had all of my supplies, but could I really be too careful about this? Especially considering my slightly abnormal course path this year, I didn't want to mess anything up, not now. I could still barely believe my good fortune, that after a year mostly without her, I was going to be sharing a class with my best friend this year. Sure, we had still done things together and everything over the course of the past months, but there had still been significantly less time spent with Haruka than there had been when we were both in elementary school, and I had... not enjoyed that.

But now, thanks to my parent's excellent upbringing--I sent up a hasty thankful prayer for them both, the wonderful people--I was going to be able to skip the first-year English course and move straight to the second one, in a class that I also discovered would be taken by Haruka. I smiled fondly at my bookshelf, featuring more than a few volumes in English at my parents insistence. At first only for their insistence, I amended, my own appreciation came later as well. I walked over to the shelving and pulled off a book too, realizing now what that nagging feeling of forgetfulness was. Having a best friend didn't negate a bookworm, and I was sure that there would be a class or two here and there that would require a more enjoyable pastime than staring at the wall.

So then: pens, pencils, folders, textbooks, pack, personal reading material, clothes... I was sure I had everything now, so I hoisted my things and stepped out of the room. The house was quiet, and filled only with natural light sifting through the other blinds and curtains of my home. I closed the door softly, though my parents were already gone and at work. It felt wrong to break the peace of our home for no good reason. I walked through the short hallway, past my parent's bedroom, took a quick turn into the kitchen to grab the lunch box that my mother had left prepared for me, and continued to the front of the house. I slipped on my shoes, and launched myself out the door into new days.

XXXXX

I stood in my room. I was next to the bed, befuddled and confused, and looking anxiously for that damnably useful alarm clock. I remembered vaguely that I'd wanted to put it somewhere that I wouldn't be able to access it easily. I hadn't thought it would be so hard to make myself wake up when I wanted to. I was going to have to muster more willpower in the future... or perhaps get to be earlier. It hadn't been fun to find out that I was also bad about using alarm clocks. I finally realized in some semi-lucid corner of my mind that I should probably turn on the light in my pitch-dark room first, and then I was able to track the sound to the closet and inside my school pack. I brought the insistent device out, wincing at the piercing tone rhythmically shrieking from some cruel internal instrument. I'd really _needed_ to get an especially loud one if I wanted to put it in a closet and a pack and still hear it, but that somehow didn't stop dark thoughts of chucking it into the garbage from running through my mind. At least this time I hadn't just shut it off and crawled back in bed. I was awake enough to stay up, or at least force a sleepwalk across my slightly cramped room, flick off the bedroom light, and grope my way through the small area--I didn't know what to call this architectural device that separated rooms, but seemed far too small to be considered a legitimate hallway--and into the room that combined as half kitchen, half front room. I turned on that room's light. My hand traced a familiar course to one of the higher cabinets and pulled out a small can. I opened it and breathed deeply.. I told myself firmly that I absolutely _adored _the aroma of the coffee grounds inside. I wasn't sure if I successfully convinced myself today, but I did my best to tell myself that I had. In any case, I scooped some out and pulled a filter out, putting both into the coffee maker. I grabbed my favorite green mug from the corner of the counter where I kept it, and poured a mug of water into the machine as well. I turned on the maker, trying to tell myself that I was looking forward to this morning beverage just _ever_ so much, and tramped to my parents room, after turning off the kitchen light, to use the house's only bathroom and shower.

I didn't bother with their room light. I knew this way, at least, well enough to make my way to the bathroom and use that light. I cranked on the hot water and stepped into the shower stall, not having to convince myself in any way that I loved a good hot shower in the morning.

My family was a little better of this year than they had been for the rest of the life that I could recall, but I knew that we were still on the lower end of the income spectrum. Even so, the newly acquired affluence had allowed my mother and father to make a few decisions, and I still was not quite sure I was entirely comfortable with them. Firstly, we had moved into a bigger apartment in the short time after my graduation from first year. They said that I was going to need more space to myself now that I was getting so much older. Last year, I thought I would have argued about that. My raising had impressed practicality and frugality enough that I felt something inside putting up a fuss against the notion that _I_ was going to be responsible for a drain on family resources. However, now I found that I was rather glad for a room to myself, though I didn't believe I was doing anything that required the utmost privacy in there. It was just nice.

I still wasn't totally comfortable with the move, though. So I had, unknown to them, listened in on quite a few conversations regarding family finances when they thought I wasn't anywhere near, and now did my best to help when I could in this new place. They thought that I was going on some teenage diet, while I was just trying to curb the food bill. I made a point to turn off unused lights and never left one on when I left a room, and often did without electric lighting at all when I could. I didn't watch much television or listen to the radio, and asked for precious few things for myself, in my opinion. But I still thought I got something much better in return for all of this caution, a sense of pride in my own willpower, and a security in the knowledge that I was doing all she could to make up for the move in their eyes. I wouldn't know how much I was helping, really, but felt certain I must be doing something right. I wondered briefly how much I could stand not running my air conditioner when summer rolled by in a couple of months.

Didn't need to worry about that now, though. Need to focus on getting ready for school, I told myself, realizing that I had fallen into a light doze in the shower. That was another of their decisions. They figured that they were making enough, now, to take out yet more sizable loans for my continued education at Fuuka Academy. I _had_ argued with them about that, much the same as I had the year before my first year. I told them that I didn't need to go to any fancy, hoighty-toighty school to get a good education, but my parents wouldn't budge on that issue. There wasn't much I could do to really offset that cost, right now, but do my absolute best in my classes, so I devoted myself to my education with a fervor that I'd never felt before. My parents had been proud of their Suzushiro Haruka's grades last year and in elementary school, sure, but it was a wonderful feeling to see how impressed they were by my new diligence, and almost awed at the results it got me. They were now the proud parents of a child in the top five percent of the students in her year, which also placed me fairly lofty by national standards. I felt a little proud of that, too.

Still, my definite favorite part of my parents moving up in their respective worlds of employment was by far the fact that they didn't have to work so much any more. For so long I could hardly recall spending that much time with my parents, as they'd worked twelve hours a day standard, and often found excuses to work even more to make ends meet. It had been difficult a child that first year or so in elementary school, though my teacher had been nice enough about staying with me until she could get picked up. That hadn't been an altogether bad thing, though. A basset in supplies, really. After meeting--or rather, rescuing--my first, best, and really only friend soon into that second year of elementary, I'd found a new and wonderful place to spend my after school hours while waiting for my parents to get off of work.

Yukino's house had been as much a home to me as the apartment we'd used to live in, an even more cramped one-bedroom affair in which my bedroom had also been the living room. Yukino's house may have been even more of a home, I considered. I had left behind that old apartment with not a single regret or even a passing moment of nostalgia.

I finished my showering, feeling wholly better now that the heat had loosened up those cramps and tensions in muscles that rather strongly suggested I needed a new bed. I told them to quit whining and tough up. I wasn't about to ask my parents for some frivolous luxury like a new bed, not while I still preferred the one I had to the floor. I dried and wrapped a towel around myself, knotting it loosely over my chest--with a little difficulty, I still was not used to working my way around those big squishy things that had started sprouted over the last year, then went back into the kitchen. I took the coffee pot out of the maker, pulled my mug over and poured with a sure hand in one smooth motion. I wondered how this might look, a young girl wrapped in a towel pouring a steaming cup of black coffee with the same easy-handedness that any hassled businessman might, and the thought made me smile. Show them and their preconceptions. Then I shattered that image when I sat it down and applied creamer and sugar very liberally, until I could stand to drink it. Seriously, _black? _Did your tongue stop working with age? I was pretty sure it didn't, but that peculiar practice of some adults made me wonder. Now, finally, the last ingredient to restoring myself after sleep was complete, and I could begin considering other little things. Oh yes, like the first day of school. I ran through a mental checklist while I leaned over the kitchen counter. I ticked off the pencils and pens and paper, and the textbooks she would need for today. There was math, and history, and English... I stopped right there, and my smile and attached happiness was greater than I could remember experiencing since... well, the last time I had sen her. I still found myself significantly averse to the idea of going through learning that damnable language for another year. I had enough odd problems with Japanese, without having to deal with something like a foreign language, especially one this seemingly inane. But for the first time ever, I was going to have a class with a best friend, and maybe that would make things better.

I wasn't sure how it would make things better, really. I was far too dedicated to my studies to spend class time in frivolous discussion or gossip, but I was certain that it would better. It had to be, she was there. I drained the last of my sweet, creamy brew and rinsed out the cup in hot water, putting it back over to the counter where I kept it for my own repeated use. I was just being frugal with soap, of course, this had nothing to do with my dislike of scrubbing dishes.

I made my way back to the bathroom to brush my teeth and run a brush through my hair again; I brushed it fresh after showering, and again after drying it a bit, but my hair needed to be brushed repeatedly to keep from tangling. I hung my towel back up and made my way back to my room unclothed, still feeling a little embarrassed despite the home being empty. Modesty was no problem, though, I told myself. I didn't want to be like some other shameless girls I knew. I got to my room, and started to dress. I had to pause for a few minutes with my top again. This was becoming an increasingly difficult task as time went by, and showed every sign of continuing into the future. It just kept getting tighter and tighter around my chest. Too-large clothing could be re-sized and taken in, but it was another matter entirely to spin something from nothing, and I didn't want to ask my parents to buy me a new uniform top. So I exhaled as much as possible, held it, and pulled it down. It was tight, and I felt a twinge of worry at how it must look, but I shrugged mentally. Couldn't do anything for it now.

I brushed my hair one more time for good measure, taking some enjoyment in how it fell in voluminous waves around my shoulders and neck and shined in the bathroom lighting, before affixing what I felt to be a studiously mature and businesslike expression on my face and walking out the door. I made sure it was locked securely, then started to class.


	5. Middle School: Part 2

XXXXX

I arrived at school and went to the notice board to find my homeroom class assignment, then headed to the office to get the pass I needed to get out of my class for the English part of the curriculum and head over to the second-year room. After asking an upperclassmen where the different rooms were, I made my way to my class for this year..

The teacher was the type whose appearance screamed old stodgy at the top of its lungs, from his orange and maroon striped tie over dull brown suit, to the weary and ultimately disinterest expression in eyes that matched his suit almost, perfectly, seen behind thick-framed round spectacles. I was sure that we would get along fine for the rest of the year, these teachers seemed to appreciate those quiet achievers who received their education with a minimum of fuss. I listened attentively as he explained some procedures that were going to differ from my days in elementary school, and obediently acknowledged my presence during roll call, affirming furthermore a slow, dry voice and way of speaking that complimented his appearance to an eerie level. I continued through the day, the excitement of being in an entirely different school fading quickly. I saw a few familiar faces, the course work didn't seem to take any grand jump from what I was used to, and didn't stimulate me in any new or interesting ways. I understood and did the math, and listened to and contemplated the history lecture, and all the while tried to disguise my real interest in the clock ticking the minutes down to the English period. Finally, it arrived.

"And now, class, we will turn our attention to..." I bolted out of my seat, more rapidly than I had intended to. He blinked owlishly behind his glasses, and took a long moment to consider me, "Yes, Kikukawa-san?" He spoke, sounding resigned to something that none of us were aware of. He peered at me, and I felt a flush creeping up my neck as the eyes of my classmates all focused on me. I really didn't like being under scrutiny, or under too many people's attention at all.

"Um, you were about to move us on to our English study, correct?" I said quietly, forcing unwilling eyes to focus on him rather than the floor.

"Yes, I was. Is this going to be a problem?" I felt sudden understanding, and a tinge of pity for this teacher. I suspected that this man may have had an unfortunate history of more troublesome classes, and that such might explain his less than enthusiastic personality at the moment. He was resigned to more of the same. I was glad that I wasn't going to be giving it to him, though.

"No, sir. Not at all, but I'm supposed to be attending another class for my English study." I raised the pass, and he set down his book and gestured me to the front of the class. I studiously avoided looking at the faces of her peers while he carefully digested the contents of the note, then slowly nodded and proffered the note back to me. To my surprise, a dusty smile creased the corners of his lips.

"Very well then, Kikukawa-san. I feel it's a shame that I won't get to teach such an apt pupil myself this year, but you hurry along." Surprised, I smiled shyly back. Bowing respectfully, and thankfully, I left the room.

When I found the classroom, I heard a strong, feminine voice within. I should have known that they were going to have proceeded into the lesson already, but somehow this still surprised me. I stood at the door for a handful of seconds, not wanting to intrude, but having to. I took a deep breath and knocked. The voice quieted, and then a, "Yes? Come in, please." Sounded out. I opened the door and poked my head in.

"Now now, all the way in." The teacher chided, and the class snickered. Almost all of the class. I saw Haruka-chan siting in a desk just to the right of the center of the room, and she was smiling over at me. Even so, I felt embarrassed just to be called out like that in front of her. I came all the way into the room and clicked the door shut behind me. The teacher continued to look at me with inquisitive eyes, and I found myself unable to speak again, so I just walked up to her and held out the note. I felt the eyes of the class following me, just as a moment before, and tried to ignore them, just like before. The teacher, a fairly pretty woman who couldn't have been older than thirty, caught a few strands of dark hair that had worked free from her ponytail and tucked them behind her ears as she read.

"Well of course!" She said warmly after she had finished, "You were that advanced student I was told about, it had completely slipped my mind. Please, have a seat in any empty space you find." She gestured out to the classroom, "My name is Miss Nakamura, and I suppose I'l be taking care of you for a short time every day, I hope we get along." Her smile was sunny, and I was reassured. Until, at least, I turned to the somewhat less bright eyes of my new classmates. They expressions there ranged from indifferent, to curious, to even a few hostile. I hoped those last ones were just my imagination, I didn't really think anybody would be hostile to a student just because they jumped a year in one course.

I saw a few empty seats, and there was one fairly close to Haruka-chan in the back, but I didn't relish walking past that many students to get there, so I chose one closer to the front, even though it was nearly opposite her seat. I sat down and took out my textbook, and focused as intensely as I could on Miss Nakamura so I wouldn't notice any further stares I was getting.

"Okay class, back to attention. Up here, we've all seen first-year students before, we all were first-year students before. For all intents and purposes for the next hour, she is your classmate, so please treat her with the same respect you accord one another with." I thought perhaps she had noticed those potentially hostile looks as well, though I remained in doubt as to how much her words would help with that. I took a peak off to the side where Haruka-chan was, and saw her still looking over at me and smiling encouragingly. I smiled back, and for a moment our eyes met. For that moment everything was fine with the world again. Then she looked away and glowered, a small scowl appearing on her face. Concerned, I followed her eyes, and got my first glimpse of somebody whose importance in my life, for both good and ill, I could not possibly have begun to comprehend on that day. Who could have? She merely sat there, serene and demure, textbook open before her with her fingers linked together over it. Her tawny chestnut hair hung straight around her shoulders, and her eyes were closed for the moment. When the teacher began speaking again, however, they opened with a slow grace that defied the normal muscle control granted over one's eyelids, and her deep carmine eyes shone with a quiet intelligence, and unspoken mirth danced behind them as though she were in on a secret regarding all of them, and she found it endlessly amusing. I was immediately wary of her, though some of that might have been caused by Haruka-chan's apparent ill-favored regard for her. I thought that I may want to pay more attention to the teacher now that she was speaking, though.

Very soon I found out the basis of the reason for this antagonism Haruka displayed, when the teacher stopped in the middle of the lesson to ask for translations of example sentences.

"Would anybody like to volunteer to translate line 4a in the text?" She offered to the class, in return getting an initial stiff silence.

"I would." Her unmistakable voice said, and I felt a slight trill of happiness for her. I knew the answer, this time, but I hadn't wanted everybody to see me, this little first-year outsider, taking the first question of the year.

"Very well."

Haruka stood and cleared her throat.

"My uncle, the business ma'am, brought expensive books back from his trip ovaries."

Miss Nakamura blinked, and it looked as though she genuinely regretted having to say, "No, I'm afraid that's not entirely correct, Haruka-san. Would anybody else care to translate and correct the mistakes?" Her eyes didn't even make a show of scanning the room, the first hand in the air was that of the tawny-haired girl, and it looked as though Miss Nakamura had been expecting it.

"Yes, Shizuru-san?"

So I had a name to put to the face of this strange girl whom I felt so cautious of: Shizuru. I watched as Shizuru-san pushed her chair back with hardly a squeak upon the floor and stood with the grace of a dancer, unfolding as though she were about to put on a performance for an audience rather than answer a school question.

"Correctly translated, the sentence reads, 'My uncle, the businessman, brought expensive books back from his trip overseas'. But really, there wasn't much wrong with Suzushiro-san's translation. I'm sure her tongue just tripped over sounds, rather than her mind over meanings." I frowned. That much was apparent to me, and should have been to any in the class who paid attention. Of course Haruka didn't actually think those words _meant _"ma'am" or "ovaries", so it felt rather like Shizuru was thinly veiling a condescending remark. Far too thinly. I decided to just keep watching for now, maybe I could do something about it later.

"I can't stand that girl." Haruka-chan informed me after class, "She doesn't seem to care about anything. I swear, she takes some perverse pleasure in attacking me, just because I _do _care, and she knows it." I considered, and that's certainly what that situation had looked like to me, but I still didn't want to judge too hastily.

"Maybe so, Haruka-chan." I answered for a lack of anything better to say, and did my best to try and cheer her up by talking to her about what we might be able to do this weekend. I got the feeling that it didn't really matter who she _said _she was speaking harshly of, she was really speaking against herself. I didn't have long to talk to her and think on it, though, as I had to go back to my own regular class before it was too late.

XXXXX

I still couldn't believe I had made such a fool of myself, and on the first day of school too. And in front of Yukino, no less!

I knew I shouldn't think about it too much, but it was hard to focus on anything else for a while. I just knew Yukino must have thought I was an idiot. Here she was, good enough to skip a year, and then I went off and talked about reproductive organs--I looked up what I had said in the dictionary later, and it didn't do much to improve my mood. It was so embarrassing!

Of course that Fujino girl was there to jump on my slip too. She was just the sort of stuck-up girl that I knew I would run into at this school. She didn't talk much, but I heard enough chattering gossip going on when I was trying to study to get the general picture. Wealthy family, well-connected, her father owned a business. Or two, or three, depending on the rumours you believed, but one looked like a safe bet. She probably went home to a mansion and sipped cups of expensive tea while doing her homework with the aid of high-paid tutors. She probably didn't have to do anything on her own, she had help studying, and she never had to clean, and she probably had multiple wardrobes full of clothes. No wonder she did so good in class, I wonder what I might do if I was able to hire private tutors for every subject.

Lunchtime came soon, though, and I had an another matter to occupy my attention. I walked out into the student commons area, and my stomach growled quietly. I took my wallet out of my pocket, and looked sorrowfully at the yen within, then closed it and put it back in my pocket. I had enough for lunch, of course, as my parent's had provided, but the highly uncomfortable tightness around my chest told me that I had better things to put my money towards. I took my first resolute step in the opposite direction from the cafeteria, ignoring it when my stomach tried to suggest this was a bad move. I soon found a bench to sit down on under a tree. I sat down and lay back, tilting my head up to see the sunlight filtered through the new spring leaves, then closing my eyes and considering what do do with my free time now. My stomach let me know that studying would be hard to focus on, so I let my mind drift.

That Fujino, I knew, she probably went out and bought whatever she wanted, if she hadn't brought her own meal of... of caviar or something. Just a bowl of it. Probably the kind of thing she would eat. Then she would go home and have her kitchen staff prepare a full five-course meal of her favorite foods. Yes, there would be mouth-watering savory soups and fine cuts of meat, and fresh-baked breads and the tastiest sushi and just all kinds of things. Of course, then there would probably be two or three courses of dessert, candies and creams and pies and cakes. Whatever she ate, of course, she would only eat one or two dainty ladylike bites from before telling her servants to throw it away, anything other than the _most_ freshly made foods being offensive to her sensitive palate.

Soon my stomach was not the only thing growling, so I started a contest with it at about this point. I'm not sure who would have won if it was not for the little gentle laughter I heard.

XXXXX

I wasn't quite sure what to make of what I was seeing. I was on my to the cafeteria, disappointed that I hadn't found Haruka-chan there, and now instead found her sitting on a bench in a common area along the way. Her eyes were closed and I thought she might be asleep, so I didn't call out to her. Approaching her, I heard the oddest noise, some low rumbling that seemed to be coming from her direction. She wasn't snoring, though, I could see that. I sat my lunchbox down on the bench beside her, and turned my head inquisitively. What was that? I looked closely at her face, and had to suppress a bubbling of laughter. She couldn't be _growling, _could she? In her sleep? I covered my mouth with my hand and doubled over trying to contain myself, thinking all that needed to happen now was for her to start kicking her leg around, and I would have myself a cute little puppy for a friend. The image of Haruka-chan with floppy puppy ears and a tail was too much, though, and I just _had_ to laugh. The sound appeared to wake her up, her eyes snapped open and focused on me. She coughed into her hand, and I saw a light flush color her neck.

"Good morning, Haruka-chan." I said, still giggling.

"Good morning? It's afternoon." She replied, puzzled.

"Good afternoon, then, Haruka-chan. Did you catch that bunny?"

"Bunny?"

"Whatever you were dreaming about chasing, then."

"Dreaming? Yukino, what are you talking abou..." Her voice trailed as I fell into more fits of giggling. I sat down on the bench next to her, trying to control myself enough to speak again.

"All right, Haruka-chan. What were you growling at, if it wasn't dream bunnies?"

XXXXX

Good lord, how bad could today get? Now Yukino must have thought me really strange.

"Er, well, you see, it's like this. Yukino, I was... that is..." As if on some cue from God's most warped sense of humour, my stomach took this opportunity to let it's discomfort be known quite audibly. Any lesser person might have broken down then, to have so many embarrassing situations land upon them in so short a time, but I was made of sterner stuff. Even so, there wasn't much more I could do than sit there and _not _break down, and that was hardly an active approach.

"Haruka-chan, maybe we should go to the cafeteria and get you something to eat." Yukino suggested tentatively. I felt my face grow hot. Not from my financial situation, but from showing that much weakness to Yukino... again.

"No, that's okay. I'm not really that hungry." Her eyebrows shot up at my blatant lie, but she didn't argue with me, "And I'm trying to save my money right now."

Yukino looked at me helplessly

"Okay, Haruka-chan." She conceded, "But you know, I think I just have far too much lunch today, for just myself. I'd be happy to share." She lifted her lunchbox suggestively, I was fully prepared to gracefully deny her generosity, but my stomach let out another growl and my mouth began watering, both promising some terrible wrath if I ignored them now. I figured I _was _a growing girl, and it wouldn't do me any good to waste away while saving up for clothing. If I kept this up, the new blouse would probably be too big for my skeletal frame. Yes, that sounded quite logical.

"Um, if you wouldn't mind, Yukino." She just smiled and unwrapped the cloth from the meal. It looked delicious, all of it. Rice, of course, with sliced salmon in some kind of sauce--I could smell the sweet spices from here--and a generous portion of sliced eggplant. I wasn't very fond of eggplant, but this one looked remarkably good. Whether from actual appeal or hunger I wan't sure, but I also didn't care,

"Don't just look, Haruka-chan, that won't get you any less hungry." Before I could argue that I was not, in fact, all that hungry, she brought out a pair of chopsticks and skillfully wrapped some rice in a bit of salmon before raising it up to my mouth. I didn't even think, my mouth opened and I took the bite.

XXXXX

I saw Haruka-chan's face light up after that one bite and smiled. Really, I was just offering her the chopsticks, but paused to try and figure out the best way to transfer possession of them to her. For some reason, I thought I liked her method better. I took the utensils and got myself a bit of eggplant, but stopped while raising it to my mouth.

The thought that stopped me was ridiculous, of course. A product of reading too many novels with romance in them, and far too much shoujo manga. There was absolutely nothing more on those chopsticks than a bit of eggplant that my mother had made and that I would now enjoy, I told myself firmly. Oh, and I supposed there had been Haruka-chan's lips a moment before but that...

Okay, okay. I took a steadying breath. Fine, an indirect kiss. I hoped my subconscious was happy now that I'd acknowledged the thought as valid. I supposed that, as far as the literal definition went, this was indeed an indirect kiss. That didn't matter for Haruka-chan, though. I mean, she was a _girl_, you couldn't indirectly kiss your best friend if you were both girls, after all.

"Yukino?"

Haruka-chan was looking at me strangely, and I returned her gaze for a few long moments. Haruka-chan, I thought vaguely. Also, something about food.

"Um, should I go get another pair of chopsticks, maybe..." Haruka-chan said uncomfortably at the end of those few long moments. I came fully out of my reverie. I hadn't noticed that I had been so far into my own thoughts. I felt something hit my thigh, and found that I had relaxed too much my grip on the utensils too much and dropped a bit of food.

"Oh, whoops." Haruka-chan laughed. She reached her hand over and plucked the piece off of my skirt, and popped it in her mouth.

"Mm-mm. Glad I didn't let that go to waste. This is really good, Yukino." I nodded to what she said, but absently, my mind still a few seconds in the past, in that moment when her fingers had brushed my thigh. It was such a peculiar feeling. I started to become worried, had Haruka-chan and I grown apart at some point last year? I couldn't ever recall having felt uncomfortable around her when we were in elementary school, but it seemed like some time last year I started feeling differently around her. It was an unfamiliar, kind of unwanted feeling. Sometimes when I was around her I would suddenly feel... different, about me, and about her. Almost like I didn't want to be her friend any more, but that felt like it couldn't be further from the truth. Whatever it was, I hoped it would go away soon now that I could see her more again.

I looked back up at her, "Really? I'm glad you like it, Haruka-chan." I got my own bite, and this time made it to my mouth with only the briefest hesitation, brushing off the recurrent thought the best I could. We finished the lunch box, and I was glad to see that Haruka-chan looked in much higher spirits than she had when I arrived. In fact, that realization struck me at a much deeper level. Here was something I could do for Haruka-chan, I thought. I knew that if Haruka-chan were trying to save money, it was for a good reason, so I wasn't going to pry, but I thought I might be able to help her with it. We continued eating, and when we were close to finishing it, I brought up my idea.

"Say, Haruka-chan. If you liked this, would you mind if I brought you something for lunch every day?" I ventured this hesitantly, knowing that Haruka-chan was a proud person, and might take that the wrong way. I even saw this warring in her features for a few seconds, before she finally spoke again.

"I don't want you to go to any trouble--"

"It's no trouble at all, Haruka-chan." I interrupted her quickly. She looked taken aback, and I felt a warmth in my cheeks, but then she shrugged and nodded.

"Er, well then, thanks, Yukino. I could get used to having more cooking this good, so if it wouldn't be any trouble..." She stood up, and I looked around to see other students milling about and gradually moving back towards the school building.

"Okay then, we can start having lunch together tomorrow." She smiled at me, and I smiled back. Now I felt much better than I had a short while ago. One small thing I could do to hel--

"Sounds fantastic. I never knew you were such a good cook, Yukino, lucky me." She smiled and waved, and I waved too. Then I heard what she had said. Me, a good cook? Oh my, had she thought that I... that this lunch... I slumped for a moment. I barely knew a rice cooker from a toaster, my mother had prepared this. But Haruka-chan thought that I had made it. I tried to imagine telling her that, no, I was getting my mother to make two lunches--something I hadn't really thought out either, though I was pretty sure my mother wouldn't mind terribly, my parent's both knew and adored Haruka-chan and also knew what problems she might be having--and it wasn't a fun scenario. I was sure that she would refuse, and probably be disappointed that I offered to make somebody else work more for her. No, she wouldn't like that at all, and I didn't want her to be disappointed in me.

Which left only one real option, I concluded glumly. Cooking couldn't be too terribly difficult, could it? I could probably learn something simple for tomorrow, and learn as fast as I could to keep up with the following days. It would be good practice, too. I always thought I would like to be able to cook for my family later on, might as well start now. So I'd be helping Haruka-chan with my own two hands. I rather liked that thought.

So when I got home from school that day, I found my mother at home in the kitchen, reading one of her magazines. It was her one vice, trashy women's magazines, so I suppose that made her the same as a good many mother's across Japan, and probably the rest of the world. I was fairly certain that this wouldn't be a difficult idea to get past her, so I just jumped right to the point.

"Hey, Mom, don't you think it's about time that I started to make my own lunch for school?" I thought that she might be a little surprised at the spontaneity of the request, and I saw that as she looked up from her reading. What I hadn't't expected was the suddenly speculative, searching gaze she fixed me with.

"If you would like to, of course," She answered smoothly, "Why, are a lot of your classmates making their own lunches now, or something?"

"No, I don't think so," I answered honestly.

"Are you going to need to make... particularly big lunch boxes for yourself?"

I considered, and realized that I was going to need more foodstuffs, "No, but I will want to make two," I said, and waited for her to ask who the other was for. Instead, she just smiled slowly and mysteriously,

"Well then, why don't we get started right now, while I'm not doing anything else? You must learn, first of all, how to make the rice just right, it really does set the tone of the meal," My mother rose from the chair and walked to the pantry, and I followed her, my confusion over her odd smile forgotten as I tried to remember all these new details of cooking.


	6. Middle School: Part 3

"Alright, rice is..." I lifted the top from the pot, steam emitting in a steady stream from a little hole in the top. Poking at it a little, I decide that I'm satisfied with its sticky consistency. This is rather fortunate, as the rest of the meal is somewhat less-than the ideal I had envisioned. The little sausages, which I had cut to look like little octopi, wanting the lunch to be at least a _little _bit cute, had instead burned, dark and shriveled and, in my current state of depression, looked rather to me more like a creature of Lovecraft lore than an adorable sea creature. The curried potatoes, which I had cooked for her to provide stamina, _looked _okay, but upon tasting told of my being too heavy-handed with the spices, and necessitated a quick drink to cool my protesting tongue. I imagined that I would likely have a much harder time cooling my embarrassment if I was to give this kind of meal to Haruka-chan, after she had praised my mother's lunch box so much.

Briefly, I considered buying a convenience-store lunch on my way to school, but immediately knew that wasn't going to work. For one, I had told myself that I was going to be helping Haruka-chan with my own two hands, and I _knew _she would be uncomfortable if she found I was spending my own money to feed her. For another, I didn't actually have any money to do so at the moment. Turning a reproachful eye to the fare I had prepared, as though it was somehow the food's fault, I turned the same gaze to the clock, as though it was its fault for running so quickly. It was near time for me to get started to school, so there would be no second chances. I ran through a couple of excuses I might try with her, to get her to forgive my "forgetting" lunch today, but they sounded hollow even in my own mind. For that matter, Haruka-chan would just think me careless and inconsiderate if I should forget.

I sighed, and started portioning the meal into two lunch boxes. I topped them both, and wrapped mine in my cheery yellow-green cloth. Folded crisply on the table was a new cloth that Mom had run out and bought yesterday, a deep sage green. I picked it up, and looked at the creases worrisomely, conflicted over where a new cloth would be taken as a sign of consideration to Haruka-chan, or if she would think it an undeserved privilege. Haruka-chan could be sensitive about things like that, sometimes. Erring on the side of safety, I started to unfold and crumple it, trying to make it appear comfortably used. While I did, I heard a crinkle, as of paper, and felt inside the new cloth to find a piece of paper with Mom's loopy, friendly hand on it.

_This one is still a masculine color, but you two can still match! Hope you like it, dear,_

_ Mom_

I put a hand to my temple. So, she _does _think I have a boyfriend or a crush now. Dear, how was I going to get out of this? I shook the thought with a toss of my head. That could wait, I needed to get going. I took off my Mom's apron and hung it back on the kitchen door, quickly did a cursory cleaning of the pots and pans (promising that I would wash them properly as soon as I got home), wrapped a larger cloth around the lunch boxes so I could carry both conveniently, and I started off for school. Despite the lackluster effort at cooking, I found myself feeling inwardly pleased; she might not love every bite, but I _was _providing my Haruka-chan a filling, nutritional lunch, and that was going to count for something.

I happened to pass a large store window on the way to school, but everything within was hidden behind a glare from the low, bright morning sun. I was able to see myself, however, as plainly as I would if the glass were of a mirror. I saw a young girl stepping smartly along, eyes wide and brightly cheerful, a light rosiness to her freckled cheeks, hair unmanageable as always, and the entire image somehow set off by the two lunch boxes held tightly in one hand's grasp, as though she were terrified of losing them. I looked down at my white-knuckled grasp with some surprise, I hadn't realized that I had been holding on so tightly. A little flutter inside told me that I was just nervous; I suppose everybody was the first time somebody was to enjoy something that they made. A small giggle escaped me as I thought about my image in the store window. I really _did _look as though I was going to school to see somebody I liked.

XXXXXXX

Shriek. Groan. Stumble. _Flick_. Realization. Suppression of desire to obtain hammer. I got my morning off to a routine start, and thought again of needing to find a better routine. I showered luxuriously and made my coffee, then in a moment of silence heard the water dripping in the bathroom. I frowned and wet back to twist at the bath nozzles until the drip stopped and, being dry enough that I wasn't dripping, went ahead and hung my towel back up. My skin prickled with goosebumps as I walked back into the kitchen, a combination of exiting the still-steamy bathroom and my own continuing nervousness about going about unclothed. Preoccupied with that, I picked up my mug and took a quick sip, thinking to get back into routine and warm myself up. The moment the liquid touched my tongue, I blanched and jerked the cup away from my lips, upsetting and spilling a little of the hot coffee on my hand. I growled, biting back an improper curse, and set the cup down more gently before I ran a little cold water over my finger until it felt better. Taking it out, I blew on the reddened flesh and knew that it was going to sting for the rest of the day. A minor discomfort.

I started to apply cream and sugar to my coffee, the bitterness still crinkling my tongue in my mouth. I stopped in the middle, though, thinking. Was I, Suzushiro Haruka, really going to allow myself to be defeated by a simple cup of coffee? My hurt, minor as it was, was still the direct result of my cringing from from mere bitterness. Judging that I had applied about half as much sugar as I usually did, I stopped, and did likewise with the cream. It... wasn't bad. Privately I admitted that I preferred the taste of my old syrupy brew, but the small triumph I felt at being able to handle it buoyed my spirits to the point that I didn't care. Rationalizing further, I realized that I could significantly cut our costs for sugar and cream if I stopped using as much in my coffee, and I felt even more determined. I turned about, and my unbelievably inconvenient quick-growing breasts brushed against the corner of the cabinet I had left open, where the sugar went. My momentary uplift in spirits was dampened by a sudden pain in my equally inconvenient nipple and I winced, putting a hand to my breast and slamming the cabinet door with a growl. I drank the last of my coffee in sullen silence and went to my room to dress. I picked up my bra with a nod of appreciation: not just for shallow body-shaping aesthetics, but a tool of protection. I went through the ritual torture of pulling on my uniform top, repeating to myself: next Friday, next Friday, next Friday. Two weeks would get me more than enough in the way of lunch funds to buy a new uniform. Earlier I had been discontent after realizing that I was going to have to buy the top and bottom as a set, but remembering that I had not had many occasion to see a big-busted woman with incredibly slender hips, I acknowledged that I would probably have need of a bigger skirt by my third year of junior high. It helped my mood to remember Yukino's offer, then. Food, glorious food, of the same caliber that I had consumed yesterday. That would give me something to look forward to all day. Rising, I hastily prevented myself from assuming a posture that was _too _ chest forward and grabbed my brush from my bedside table and combed out what snarls remained, again taking in the shapeliness of my wavy tresses before marching out.

My eyes-forward approach to life was thwarted momentarily by a low rising sun, and I had to momentarily dart my eyes aside. I saw a store, but the window was opaque with glare, and all I saw was my own eyes sitting in my own face. Horrified, I realized that somehow I was wearing some kind of vapid, vaguely cheerful expression. I looked like some airhead dreaming about her useless boyfriend, or something! I quickly wiped the expression off and assumed one much more acceptably studious and determined, as it should be for school.

XXXXXXX

I felt almost bad that I didn't pay quite as much attention to my morning classes as I should have, but felt reasonably justified in it. I already felt a barrier between me and the rest of my classmates. I usually did, true, from my own shyness, but now it felt like I was robbed of the ability to bond with the class for an uninterrupted day because of my leaving in the middle, and that barrier felt more insurmountable than ever. I tried not to let it bother me too much, as it wasn't exactly a change, but there had always been a little part of me that hoped for a little circle of friends every year of school, where I could by the quiet, bookish one that occasionally pointed things out that would get mystified looks from them, before everybody just laughed and patted me on the shoulder. It was an oddly specific little dream, but I _was _bookish, and it was a dream that had been specifically repeated in more than a few stories.

Matters weren't helped today when I thought I saw a few whispers trail across the class as I entered, eyes casually looking over me until they came to the stacked-boxes I carried in one hand, my grip tightening again as I felt eyes upon eyes on me. Really, drifting off into my own thoughts was the best thing I could do, for my own peace of mind. It was only the second day of school in any case, so we weren't really studying anything new yet. I daydreamed with half of an ear absorbing the occasional important bit of lecture and half of an eye on the clock until I was bluntly shown that I needed to keep more than just half of an eye on the clock when the professor called my name.

"Kikukawa-san?" He said, his posture indicating a repetition and the position of his eyebrows telling of mild disappointment in my attentiveness.

"Y-yes! Time for English?" I said quickly, gathering my senses and putting up the things strewn over my desk.

"Quite," he said. "Perhaps an advanced class might stimulate you to fuller awareness when you come back, my apologies for being such a bore." I winced, and flushed, feeling slightly ashamed. There wasn't a good reason for me to be, but I felt a pressing need to try to uplift my teacher's days in a career that often seemed unrewarding, and especially couldn't abide disappointing the ones I liked, and I found myself strangely fond of this embalmed-looking old fellow, perhaps just for the kindness he had shown yesterday. Today, I just brushed past him and my classmate's without meeting anybody's eyes and told myself to do better in the future.

I came upon Haruka-chan's classroom and found it quite; no voice of authority sounded clearly through the door, rather a low murmur permeated the air. Peering in the window, I saw the students talking amongst themselves, and turned a little redder when my eyes turned to meet Miss Nakamura's; she was looking directly through the classroom door's window, as though she had expected me at that very moment. She smiled, an expression reminiscent of sunshine, and I quickly entered the class and scurried to her seat. I looked at the clock, and saw that it was actually a couple of minutes before class was scheduled to begin. I avoided looking at anybody's eyes today, except for Haruka-chan's. She only had a flat, mirthless smile today, though, and just a slight nod to acknowledge my presence. Her eyes perked when they saw the two lunch-boxes, but only for a moment. A suspicion sparked and I glanced over to where Fujino-san sat. Unlike her enclosed and demure posture yesterday, however, the girl from Kyoto had eyes turned right at me. Her eyes gave the eerie impression of being clear and open when they looked at me directly, yet it was the clarity of bullet-proof glass. I could only keep that gaze for a few seconds before I looked away. Though I couldn't pin it down, I felt sure that Haruka-chan had just been embarrassed again.

The rest of the class moved by uneventfully, Haruka-chan seemed to have lost her motivation for participating and Fujino seemed to have thereby lost her own motivation. I, as a matter of course, still refrained from volunteering translations or other participation. While I listened to the class, which was moving along a good deal more swiftly, I assume because they weren't offering a grace period of adjustment to junior high, I took a good look at my own thoughts. Again, I warned myself against judging Fujino-san too harshly. I hadn't even seen her _do _anything today, I tried to reason against my growing wariness for her person, but that did little to diminish that wariness.

XXXXXXX

I simmered for a long while, unfortunately missing out on a good deal of the information in the class while I nursed my stinging ego from the lashing that damnable Kyoto-tea-girl had given it. I also allowed a moment to feel shamefaced for offering Yukino such an uncordial greeting when she came into the class. There was no need to drag her into my battle of wills with Fujino, and I told myself to keep those contests under wraps and away from the concern of my friend. I focused my attention on the lunch she had brought, instead, and fueled my anger into hunger as I let myself imagine enjoying it. For a dreamy moment of nonsensicalness, the thought floated through my mind that I was going to have a hard time eating as quickly as I wanted when I had to share chopsticks. Immediately after, however, I realized that she would have brought another pair, and felt a little foolish. My thoughts turned back to Fujino, then, and wondering how much harder her neck was to snap than a chopstick. Just an entertaining pastime in theoretical physics, of course, there was nothing personal about the scenario.

The English portion of my class ended soon enough, and I managed to catch Yukino's eye as we all rose, she to go back to her regular classes, we to P.E..

"Where should I find you for lunch?" I asked.

"How about the same bench you were napping on yesterday, Haruka-chan?" She replied carefully. Yukino did most things carefully.

"I'll see you, then. Glad we have P.E. next, I can work off a little steam."

"See you later, Haruka-chan."

XXXXXXX

I found Haruka-chan there on the bench, and my mild sense of apprehension grew as I approached her and the point of no return. I wasn't even fortunate enough to find her asleep again, so I could quickly throw the boxes into a bush and say a dog had run off with them, or something. No, she was fully awake, and looking happily towards me. I sat down beside her and offered a tentative smile, putting the wrapped bundle between us and, lacking anything better to do, untied it, and offered her the larger, sage-green wrapped one. I felt a moment's pang of sadness; I had really liked sharing a lunch with Haruka yesterday, but today we were each going to have our own meals, and our own set of utensils. I shoved away that thought. Obviously this way was better, after all.

"Yum, Yukino's cooking. I've been looking forward to this all day, you know." She beamed at me, and I resisted the urge to melt and seep through the slats of the bench. Or, at least I assumed I resisted it, because it didn't happen; I'm not sure that I'd have minded that much.

"I hope everything is to your liking, Haruka-chan," I forced myself to say. I watched with dread as she removed the top and picked up the pair of chopsticks inside. She looked for a long--_terribly _long--moment at the contents, and turned to me with a surprised expression.

"It's _perfect_!" She said happily. "How did you know that I like my sausages blackened just a little bit?" She picked one out and popped it in her mouth, chewing with a dreamy expression. "It's almost just like dad makes them, when he's around to cook."

"Oh, just a hunch, Haruka-chan."

"And what are these, curried potatoes? Excellent, carbohydrates, just what I need to get through the day." She quickly ate one of those as well, and I cringed, expecting the overt spiciness to cause her face to fall any moment, but if anything it got even more ecstatic.

"Oh my, you _are _good, Yukino. I love curry spice, and you loaded these up. Whooo!" Haruka fanned at her mouth a little bit, but looked happy, so I wasn't quite sure how to read her expression. She took a few bites of rice, and licked her lips. "Just the kind of solid, protein-and-starch-based meal that I need, and made just the way I like. You do have a gift, Yukino."

I just smiled, unsure how to take the praise with everything having been entirely unintentional, but still happy that she was happy.

"I'm glad you like it, Haruka-chan. It looks like I forgot a beverage, though, and I' not as good with spicy foods. Can I get you anything?"

Haruka-chan looked uncomfortable at the offer and I thought that I might could have found a more tactful way to offer, to spare her pride. While I tried to word a way to resolve the situation, she did so instead.

"Here, I'll just get something big enough to share from the cafeteria." Thankfully, my mind worked pretty quickly today, and I took her hand and put a few yen into it before she could argue.

"Thanks, that'll be nice," I said. "Here's my share in it." I smiled as innocently as I could at her, and to my credit, she smiled back, not appearing at all conflicted. Even more to my credit, I didn't blush at all until she was walking away and couldn't see. No shared utensils, but another indirect kiss today, anyway. I pecked birdlike at my lunch while I thought. They were only indirect kisses, I reasoned with myself; Haruka-chan was the one more concerned with appropriateness, anyway, and if she didn't have a problem with sharing a drink or a pair of chopsticks, there couldn't be anything wrong. Right, and indirect kiss wasn't really anything like a real one, a _real _kiss with Haruka-chan was silly, and kind of weird. I mean, we were both _girls_. I laughed aloud, a weak laugh heard only by the tree branches spreading overhead. I imagined Haruka-chan's face blushing like a young girls, her eyes closing, and her lips puckering slightly as she moved close to me.

I laughed again. Yes, that certainly _was_ a strange thought. A funny thought, not really unpleasant, but very much odd. My face felt warm, I realized, and there was an odd feeling in my stomach. The potatoes really must be too spicy for me, I thought.

XXXXXXX

I _knew _that this year was going to be better for having Yukino with me again. The little bit I spent every day to get us something to drink was a fairly paltry amount, and I was still going to have enough for my uniform within two weeks, and was getting fed besides. She had a hard time topping that first meal she'd made for me, but everything tended to be spicy and filling from then on, and I couldn't help but feel that everything would just fall into place from there.

So, in a relatively pleasant fashion, my first week went by. Then, on the Monday morning of the second week, I got my grades back for the quizzes we had taken in that first week. Most of my subjects were in order, but for English. Damn it, I growled, staring at the paper covered in red marks in front of me. I had only myself to blame, letting that hoity-toity witch shake my concentration so often. I struck my desk, drawing the eyes of a few people sitting beside me, but I ignored them, and turned my paper over. No need to give them the satisfaction of seeing Suzushiro Haruka struggling. I caught Yukino's eyes watching me with worry as well, however, and knew that I would have to tell her the truth later. I knew I could keep it from her, but she knew me well enough to know when something was wrong, and that would only make her worry and not know the reason why, I could at least give her something concrete to fret over, and promise her that I'd do better. I sighed. Yukino had probably done fine on the quiz, she was good at this sort of thing. My eyes rolled over to where my nemesis sat, but she had her eyes on her textbook. I could tell she wasn't reading it from the lack of movement in her eyes, but her posture gave her the image of the graceful, studious person. Her paper was nowhere to be seen, but I could only assume that she had gotten a perfect score, and that distinctly worsened my mood. It was something of a gratification to be able to best her in most aspects of physical education, but I knew that sort of thing hardly mattered later in life, and that she didn't seem to try very hard made it a hollow victory. I mentally slapped myself a few times. I _knew _she couldn't be better than me, that I could be just as intelligent and studious, but it seemed that no matter what I did, she was always a step ahead. Or, in the case of this latest English score, quite a few steps. I had likely been near the bottom rung this time.

Later on in the day, I was probably an undesirable companion for lunch, but I couldn't find sufficient reason to be any more cheerful. Yukino could only stand the silence for a little while before she asked the inevitable question, however.

"Haruka-chan, is there something bothering you?"

"Not really. I wasn't happy with my English quiz score, but that's all," I answered shortly, hoping that would be the end of it.

"Is English a subject that you've had trouble with before?" Yukino asked; it was a little more blunt than my friend usually got, and that took me aback for a moment. I looked at her, and she had a strangely earnest look in her hazel eyes.

"A little bit, but mostly in junior high. That Fujino girl--" I cut myself off, cursing inwardly. I had told myself that I would drag Yukino into that personal matter.

"You think she's distracting you from the lesson?" Yukino persisted.

"It's that obvious?" I answered.

"Maybe just to me, Haruka-chan," she said quietly. My irritation softened in the light of her concern, and I looped my arm protectively around her shoulder.

"Nothing you need to worry your head over, Yukino. There's nothing in the world that Suzushiro Haruka can't do, when she tries. This won't be any different!" I turned to look at her, and was suddenly struck with how much taller than her I was right now. Of course, I had gone through a good deal of development in the last year or so, so she would likely be catching up sooner or later, but for the moment it was a bit jarring. I had to lean forward to get on the same level, and turn my face in to catch her downcast eyes. "So please don't worry for my sake, okay?"

"Alright, Haruka-chan. But..."

"No buts!" I said jokingly, but she shook her head.

"No, not that. I just wanted to say that, er, I think I'm having a little bit of trouble, too. I guess there are still a few things I didn't learn that I would have in first year, even if I'm a little advanced. I was wondering, do you think we might be able to study together some time? I think it would help me a whole lot."

XXXXXXX

This wasn't really a lie, I reasoned. I was having a little bit of trouble adjusting to the sudden jump in difficulty in English, but it wasn't anything so far that a little extra studying didn't help. Still, studying with a friend _probably _would help me, and I knew it would help Haruka-chan. All she needed was an atmosphere where she could learn without pressure. Well, without as much pressure; Haruka-chan was the type who would always be pressuring herself. I could just see her bent over her books at home, furiously studying with one-hundred and ten percent effort, but still letting herself get distracted with thoughts of how others looked at her, especially that Fujino-san. Maybe if I were there to help, I could keep her thoughts off of there, and help her relax just by being her friend. That was my hope, anyway. So, I waited with hushed breath for her answer.

"Uh, sure, if you like. Hey, I think my parents are going to be working late this... Thursday, too. Would it be okay with you to come over then?"

I was silent for a moment. I hadn't ever actually been over to Haruka-chan's house, I had gotten the feeling that she was embarrassed about where she lived when I had inquired a few years ago, and hadn't brought up the matter again. I knew she had moved, recently, though, so maybe she was happier with her place now. And her parents wouldn't be there? Just me and Haruka-chan, all alone for the evening in her house where I had never been?

"Yes!" I said, a little more enthusiastically than perhaps was proper, so I softened my tone. "Of course, Haruka-chan, I would love to."

"Ah, right then. I'll try to pay extra attention in class, so I can help out with anything you need then.


	7. Middle School: Part 4

I woke up on Thursday and drew open my blinds, and never had I thought the sunshine could feel so sweet on my face. I squinted my eyes open and, though I couldn't see much of anything without my glasses on, all the blurred colors outside of my bedroom window seemed especially vivid today, mixing into a beautiful collage of life before my unfocused eyes.

I hummed a nameless tune as I prepared for school, dressing and going down to make my two lunches after eating the breakfast Mom had left for me. Idly, I wondered what Haruka was doing at the same moment, and if her day was starting any differently than usual.

XXXXXXX

My eyes snapped open, and as they focused and got used to the idea of being used again, I observed a line of light slowly traversing the side of my room. Loosing a fantastically satisfying yawn, I stretched out my cramped limbs and protesting back--a junior high girl's back should _not _crack like that, I growled--and stood. Suddenly, a slow smile formed on my lips. I crouched down and reached under my bed, taking out a shoebox that had within it a small totebag that had within it... my alarm clock. I watched it with malicious amusement as the second hand ticked slowly by, forty-nine... forty-eight... forty-seven. With a heady sense of power, I waited until the last second before I had programmed it to go off, and switched of the alarm. One victory for Suzushiro Haruka against the alarm clock. Sure, I had a little catching up to do, but I was determined to even the score. I wondered what it was that had awakened me so early; perhaps it was the willpower finally kicking in?

Other than that, today also felt a good deal different, somehow, as though everything in the world were intent on stirring my senses. The steaming water striking my skin, beading and trickling down through my hair and down my arms and body and legs somehow felt... exciting, almost like a tickle, but deeper, way down in my stomach and pushing at my chest. The smell of the coffee brewing was soothing, and the taste of it--down to nearly an eighth of the sweetener I used to put in it--was bracing, dark and heavy and filling me with warmth. The sound of the other tentants waking and bustling to all sides seemed somehow louder than normal, but in an interesting way, filling my mind with notions of life and energy.

Oh, that was right, I realized. Yukino was coming over today.

XXXXXXX

The day passed like a dream, but in sharp reality. I seemed to be able to pay attention in class effortlessly, and even volunteered for an answer after a few hushed moments, though I couldn't have said what brought me to it. When time came for English, I hurried gracefully out of the room and breezed into Haruka-chan's class. Miss Nakamura smiled at me, and I smiled back, and we proceeded with class. Even Haruka's face seemed brighter, which made me almost fear it _was _a dream, for her features _never_ brightened during her worst subject with her rival in the room. When she energetically volunteered for a translation, too, she got it correct, which put further doubt into my mind of the reality of the situation, but the most I was willing to _do_ about it was to... hope that I wouldn't awake.

However, awake I did, though not in my bed. I was thrust from my warm and secure morning when a splash of cold reality drenched me with the suddenness of a bucket precariously perched atop a door. I got out for lunch and started over to where Haruka-chan and I usually met, the sight of her lounging in the shade and awaiting me already sketched before my eyes. To my great surprise, I felt a tap on my shoulder in the hallway, near the door to the outside. It was one of my classmate's, a girl. I felt immediately uncomfortable when I couldn't remember her name, but she just smiled, and didn't seem to expect me to.

"Yukino-chan? Hey, I was wondering if I could ask you a question about my English paper."

"Paper?" I said, puzzled. We didn't have an--

"Yeah, the one that--oh, well, we have one in _this_ class, didn't you know?"

I flushed slightly, realizing that we would have different assignments, and nodded. "Uhm, sure. I need to be going, but I have a few minutes." Her eyes narrowed strangely when I said this, but I didn't think anything of it, other than her perhaps harboring a tactfully unvoiced curiosity.

"Oh, good--ah, but I need to hurry, too! I forgot, my friends and I agreed to meet before we went somewhere, and if I'm not there they might leave without me. Could you just come with me for a sec? They'll wait if I can at least show up." Without waiting for an answer, she took my hand and pulled me out of the door and started walking very quickly, around the building. I tried to find my voice to protest, but it would not come. Finally, she we were on the other side of the school building, and I saw her friends. She had quite a lot of them, and I was swiftly brought over to a little ninety-degree corner of the building, where a new wing had been added a few years ago. Looking around at what must have been about twenty people, I started to have misgivings.

"So, um, your paper?" I asked tentatively.

"Oh, did I say paper? I meant questions about Fujino-sama," she said, and a dangerously dreamy look came into her eyes.

"W-what was that?" I stammered, not entirely sure at what I had heard. "I, I think I need to be going now, my friend--"

"What friend? You just keep to yourself all day," another voice called out. "Like you think you're better than us, just because you get to be with Fujino-sama for an hour a day. Isn't she stuck up?"

"What? No!" I protested, but my quiet voice wasn't nearly enough to reach all the ears.

"Look, I don't really care how much better you think you are," the first girl, the one who had brought me here, said loudly, as though speaking to all the others. "The fact of the matter is, you--undeserving as you are--get to be closer to Fujino-sama for an hour a day than we all _ever _get to be. You _must _know something about her, and as the official Fujino-sama Fan Club, we _will _get that information out of you." She gripped my shoulder with a fanatical gleam in her eyes.

"Well, tell us something, anything! What's her favorite color?"

"What kind of music does she like?"

"What are her hobbies?"

"What tea does she drink?"

"Does she have a boyfriend?"

"What are her measurements?"

"What color are her panties?"

The questions poured on me like a deluge, only one in ten actually audible, and absolutely _none_ of them particularly reasonable--how on _Earth _was I supposed to know anything about her underwear? In my bewilderment my mind couldn't seem to organize and muster any resistance, not even just the urge to run away. Shortly after the shouting began, however, I heard the shrill, excited questions dissolving into outraged protests.

XXXXXXX

After my class ended, I hurried over toward's Yukino's, hoping to catch her before she went to our usual spot. I'd heard today that the Gardening Club's project, cultivating a selection of long-blooming flowers that would bloom soon after school began, had fulfilled their promise, and thought we could go there to enjoy our lunch period. It seemed like the kind of thing she would like. It looked like I was too late to catch her at her class, though. I knew I'd have to hope a little that she took some time to put up her stuff, but I'd been feeling lucky so far today. Just not that much, apparently. I left by way of the door closest to her class and, emerging from the silence of the empty school building, the muffled sounds of distant yelling sounded loud to my ears for all of a moment. It faded into the background buzz of outside noise immediately, but I was fairly sure I hadn't mistaken it. It had sounded like it was on the other side of the school building, where I knew there wasn't a convenient door. Setting my jaw, and promising to give Yukino a good apology for disappearing on her later, I ran over to investigate. My balance felt a little awkward in my too-tight uniform top, but I hurried as fast as felt safe.

A crowd of girls, incoherent yelling, all circled in on one sight. Chances were good that this was a fight. I furrowed my brows and waded in... ss much as a bowling ball could be said to "wade into" pins.

"Out of the way, hooligans. Don't you have any decency, any morals?" I shouted, ignoring whatever pithy comments they decided to throw back my way. When I had made my way through the crowd, which took a very short time, all told, I stopped stock-still, the last person I had expected to see locked together with another girl in there.

"Yukino?" Looking closer, I saw that she actually still had her books clutched to her chest, and our lunch dangling from one hand, and it was only the _other _girl that had a hold of her threateningly.

"Haruka-chan!" Yukino shouted, and in her voice was a plea so heart-wrenching to the ears of me, her friend, that I could hardly remember moving my legs. Suddenly, I was there beside her, gripping this upstart's arm with all the iron of our solid friendship and causing her to let go quite quickly. Smiling with satisfaction, I tossed her arm aside, causing her to take a few steps back herself.

"What do you think you're doing to her?" I demanded furiously, taking an imposing stance in front of Yukino.

"Nothing you need to worry about, who are you?" The girl I'd hurt said haughtily, wringing her hand and looking back to the crowd, as if for support.

"I'm Suzushiro Haruka, and that's all you need to know." To my surprise, as I didn't know her face, her eyes brightened with recognition.

"Suzushiro Haruka, the girl that Fujino-sama bested to get first place in the primary school finals a year ago?" This was _not _how I wanted my name to be recognized.

"Yes, that Suzushiro Haruka," I growled. "And also the girl that's going to have you go away, now, before I make you do so."

"And what gives you the right?" She shot back. "I wasn't hurting her, we were just asking her a few questions." I raised an eyebrow at her, and turned my head around slightly, never taking my eyes off of this aggravating girl.

"Did she hurt you, Yukino?" I asked pointedly.

"N-no, not really, Haruka-chan," she said, but the tone of fearfullness in her voice was far from reassuring.

"Even so," I continued, "Would you want to remain here with them?"

"No!" She said, much more firmly.

"Well, that takes care of that, now doesn't it?" I said. "We'll be going now. Come on, Yukino." I took a few steps forward, but little miss spokesperson stepped right into my path, and drew herself up to her full height--which was surprisingly near my own. With her face as indistinct in my memory as it was, though, I thought her to be a first year, just an early-blooming one. Nonetheless, it takes more than height to stand eye-to-eye with Suzushiro Haruka. I drew myself up, chin in, back straight, chest out--ignoring the tension this put on my chest and shirt and the ominous, barely audible sound of creaking seams.

"I said we're going," I barked into her face. She flinched, but recovered.

"And I said we had a few questions for that girl," she countered.

"I don't care," I said bluntly. I took a step forward, bumping into her and having her take half a step back. She stood again, however, and seemed to brace herself. A challenge, then! I marched forward, this time not stopping after contact, and she stumbled after a few steps. We were at the edge of the group of girls, now, and they parted to allow our passage. Refusing to step aside, she tripped. At this point I was willing to stop, and even put out a reluctant hand to try and catch her. However, the little _tart_ did something else instead.

XXXXXXX

I followed Haruka-chan carefully as she led the way out, right through that girl that had had me by the shoulder. The sun shone gold on her hair, and she made such an imposing figure that I saw her again as the prince from my childhood. It had been a while since I'd had that particular vision of her, but it came again now, as I sat on the back of her white horse, riding from the cursed castle as she took her sword of the finest steel and parted the tides of monsters that had threatened me.

_Rrrrrrrrrrip!_

I had no idea what the sound was, at first. Haruka had stopped, and I saw that the girl she had been pushing was fallen on the ground. A white rag was settling around her, and she looked at it, bemused. I looked back at Haruka-chan, wondering what was going on, and saw that I could see a good deal more of her lower back than I ought to be able, and her upper arms as well. Her hand was outstretched, as though to catch the fallen girl, and even after she had fallen, Haruka-chan was still frozen like that.

"Yaaahhh!" A cry of purest humiliation tore out from Haruka-chan's throat, and she crouched on the ground, hands enfolding her chest. As though scripted, laughter broke from the crowd of girls, derisive and cruel. I felt suddenly helpless, a feeling that was ultimately alien when I had Haruka-chan right beside me. Looking between her and the laughing girls, though, I began to feel another, equally alien feeling. I was lost for a moment, as though my body were having a hard time dealing with this, trying to remember how it was supposed to behave when this happened. I felt the emotion slowly, growing cold in my stomach and running hot in my veins, clenching my fists and building up in my throat. I was _angry_. I took a step forward, harsh, unfamiliar words forming in my mind, and then--

"Yaaaarrrrrrgh!" Haruka bounded up like a thing possessed, all thought of modesty abandoned, and ran straight into the crowd of girls. In this case, however, she didn't need to actually make contact with any of them. There was plenty of pushing and shoving, but all from one another as they ran away from her a short distance, looked at one another, and decided that even more distance from this furious, crazy, half-naked second-year would be the most prudent course of action. The girl who remained on the ground looked up, with actual sincere regret in her eyes.

"I-I'm sorry, Suzushiro-san!" She yelped. Sincere regret apparently didn't amount to much, compared to the realization that she was going to need as much a head-start as she could manage, and she just through down the tatters of Haruka-chan's uniform and ran off. I walked over to Haruka-chan, and she turned quickly in my direction. I saw her visibly relax when she saw it was me, however, and wrapped me up in a hug.

"At least you're okay. God, that was embarrassing!" Gradually, as the initial thought of my safety slipped into the subsequent of what had just happened, she belatedly realized where she was, in what state, and who she was hugging. My cheek and the sides of my lips and nose were pressed into the soft rise of Haruka's breast, just above where her bra ended, and it felt like the heat of her chest, heaving with exertion and adrenaline, leaked into me and set my cheeks afire.

"Oh!" She let go immediately and turned around, and my face felt uncomfortably cool, even in the humid early-spring day. "Uhm, if I gave you my locker number and combination, do you think that you could go get my gym shirt?" What of her face I could see as she turned her neck around was bright as a tomato.

"Of course, Haruka-chan," I said, disguising a smile by looking down and pulling a pen and paper from my bag. I like tomatoes, I thought irreverently, then put my mind back to the importance of my task.

"Here, write it down: Locker twenty-two, combination 3-13-88." She turned around and I gave her the paper to check over. Forgetting herself--at least I thought she was, though she might just not have been that modest with a friend--she unfolded her arms to have a look at it, and I couldn't help but stare; I somehow hadn't really noticed how much Haruka-chan was changing.

"Good. Hurry back, please," she said, and she folded in on herself again.

"Alright, Haruka-chan," I answered, already walking swiftly away.

After that, we ate lunch right there behind the building. Haruka-chan wasn't quite ready to face all the other students in her gym shirt, and worried at how the story of her humiliation might have gotten around school. For my part, I didn't see it as so much humiliating as heroic--bravery under fire, as it were--but it felt like saying so would sound strange, so I just did my best to comfort her and tell her nobody would think anything of it. I never really found out whether anybody did, I recall. I didn't hear anything the rest of that day, and if Haruka-chan had been the subject of any remarks, she never told me, and I never saw it happen.

XXXXXXX

Later, when I went back to class, I said honestly enough that my uniform had ripped. When asked if I wanted to take it to the nurse to sew it up, I declined, saying truthfully that I was starting to outgrow it and needed to buy a new one. I was nervous, but refused to show it, and a survey of my classmate's didn't reveal any hidden amusement--other than in Fujino's, but that was commonplace when she had her eyes directed at me, so I didn't think anything of it. Breathing an inaudible sigh of relief, I made my way through the rest of class and walked home. Shortly after I arrived, I thought about calling Yukino. We never had agreed when she would be coming over. When I walked into the living room, however, the phone rang on its own, and it turned out she'd had the thought first.

"Did you have a time you wanted me over, Haruka-chan?" She asked after we'd exchanged greetings.

"Not any in particular," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. "Whenever is convenient for you."

"I don't have anything I need to do, would it be alright if I came over right now?"

"Ah, sure," I said, taken aback. "How long do you think it will take you to get here?"

"No more than fifteen minutes."

"Alright, I'll expect you then, see you soon."

"See you soon, Haruka-chan."

I put the phone on the reciever, and looked anxiously around the living room and kitchen. I usually cleaned it up better after I'd had a little chance to relax after school, I never expected my parents to worry about cleaning up when they came in from long shifts. Guess I'd just do it a little earlier today. I tied my hair up to keep it out of the way, and quickly ran a sink of hot water and scrubbed dishes and counters until everything looked a bit more in order. I found I couldn't remember what kind of state my room was in, and went to take a peek. Everything seemed to be in order. I had left the open shoe box and toteback on the floor, so I put those back, absent-mindedly stuffing the alarm clock back in as well.

Satisfied with everything, I nervously went back into the living room. I looked at the clock. Twenty minutes had passed, and my apprehension spiked. Had something happened? If she wasn't going to be able to make it after all, Yukino surely would have called--unless there was some sinister reason that she was unable! What if, on her way to my apartment, or even going _through _the complex, she had been encountered by some unsavory types? I gnawed my lip.

I should have gone and picked her up, or convinced her to come over after school. What had I been _thinking!?_

No, I told myself. No, that wouldn't help anybody. Yukino was obviously in trouble and I didn't need to be standing her e berating myself for what I should have done, I needed to go help her! I brought my hands together firmly, having mademy decision, and ran to the front door. The door flew open with the strength of my hand and bounced noisily from the doorstop, slowly edging back into place and gently tapping my heel, as though chiding me for silliness. Yukino stood in front of me, eyes wide and leaning slightly back, as though she still might expect me to suddenly run forward and bowl her over. She was in a dress, I noticed. A sunny yellow--no, not so bright; a rich, buttery and soft color, a light garment to offset the stickiness in the air. The color sat oddly against her eyes, though it provided a nice complement to her hair; she looked good. I was staring, so I stopped.

"Oh! Ah, Yukino. Welcome." I sounded stiff and knew it and knew that she was taken aback by it. I also knew that I suddenly _was _feeling stiff and that's why I sounded like that, and couldn't seem to make myself relax. It was just _Yukino_, I couldn't say why I was feeling like that. Although, it likely had something to do with almost running over her in a mad dash to save her; it would be very nearly as awkward to explain that as to not, and not required less effort.

"Thanks for having me, Haruka-chan. My parent's wanted me to thank you for your care this evening," she said, darting her eyes to the sides, and then looking down. _Great_, now _she _was feeling uncomfortable too; I knew that default reliance on formality like the back of my hand.

"Oh, Haruka-chan, your hands," Yukino said suddenly. Puzzled, I brought them up. "They're so red, did you get something on them?" I almost, but not quite, laughed. My hands were a little pink--_I _didn't see red--and a little wrinkled besides, from quickly cleaning the kitchen with a sink of quite hot, soapy water.

"Nothing but water, I washed dishes after school," I explained.

"Oh, I see. You're house does look very nice, Haruka-chan. Your parents must be very orderly people."

"Most of the time, yes," I agreed, not wanting to get picky about the matter. "Can I take you to my room?" I asked.

"Please, I've never been to Haruka-chan's room."

With her casual statement, I became terribly, acutely aware of that. My father's words about the importance of first impressions surfaced in mind, and I suddenly began worrying about everything in there. That is, I knew it was clean, but what of everything else, what kind of girl did my worldly possessions betray me to be? It was with no small amount of trepidation, then, that I opened my bedroom door again, and started taking in the sight as if it was the first time I'd ever laid eyes on it, much the same as Yukino was doing.

It was pretty plain, admittedly, and there weren't a whole lot of world possessions that could speak either good or ill of me. I had a good-sized desk which could be called my prize furnishing, a heavy and comfortable-looking thing of solid wood and lots of drawers. I'd convinced the shop owner to give it to me on a payment plan, and covered it over the last year on a saved portion of my allowance and the occasional weekend odd job. I had in those drawers my textbooks and pens, pencils, paper, and what else I might need for school work, but most of the them were still empty. Other than that, there was my aged bed and a plain bedside table with a lamp on it, along with a few of framed pictures: one of my parents and I, one of Yukino and I from primary school, and one of my Grandparents. My thoughts lingered over the one of Yukino and I. It was taken nearly four years ago now, and I wondered if it seemed juvenile for it to still have such a valued position in my room.

While my mind started wondering about my venetian blinds--no curtain--and the lack of adornment on my walls, Yukino seemed to have finished, and walked right over to my bedside table and picked up the picture I had been concerned about. She smiled.

"Your graduation from primary school," she said. "You were so excited about going to junior high, I remember. I was worried that you were going to forget about me back there." Her features were gentle.

"Were you?" I asked, surprised.

"Mm-hmm," she nodded. "For a little while. I stopped worrying after you called, and we kept playing on weekends. I was afraid that you wouldn't want to be seen doing anything with a little kid."

"I never knew," I said, laughing a little bit. "I could have told you not to worry if you'd have just talked to me about your worries, Yukino," I chided gently. The girl could be shy to the point of a... rather ironic "aloofness," I knew well enough. I noticed sometimes that seemed to be the reason that she got singled out by classmates, and tried to nudge her out of it without being too mean about it.

"It all worked out, though, right?" She smiled brightly, and I had to return it, though with some exasperation.

"I suppose, but that's going to get you in trouble some day, keeping things like that to yourself. It can be difficult to hear those that speak too quietly, but it's _impossible _to understand those that don't speak at all." I thought that was rather appropriate. I might have read it somewhere, I think.

"Alright, I'll try," she said, nodding, but I wasn't all that sure that I'd actually gotten through to her. "Er, _while_ I'm trying to speak my mind more, how about I ask where you were going to in such a hurry when I arrived? I don't want to keep you from anything you should be doing." Is _that _why she had looked so uncomfortable, I marveled? I thought she had just been unnerved by almost getting run over.

"Ah, no, I wasn't going anywhere, I just... er, thought that I would meet you out front, I hadn't realized you were already here."

"Oh, I see. Thank you for the thought, anyway."

I breathed in relief. I didn't need to tell her that for the purpose of that statement, "out front" included everywhere that was not within sight of my apartment door and "meet you" included the idea of saving her from danger, I would have just looked ridiculous at this point. That was rather unfair, I thought. If she _had _been in danger and I dashed out to look for her, I would have been lauded for having keen instincts and courage, but if she's okay I'm silly. Double-standard, that's what it was, rewarding people for having friends and loved ones that got into genuine danger. While I was mired in my thoughts, Yukino must have been getting herself set up, because a few moments later she called out, "So, was there anywhere you thought we should start? I think I know how to conjugate most of the verbs, but I don't have all the nouns memorized."

XXXXXXX

I thought that would be the better place to focus on for the moment. Haruka had been really attentive in class lately, and I knew her mind was sharp enough to grasp and understand concepts like conjugation and structure, it was going to be knowing the words themselves inside and out, by heart, that would help her boost her grades. Getting distracted by her own thoughts and mispelling or mispronouncing things was something she managed to do with a sometimes amusing, other times alarming, frequency, but I thought maybe it would help if she had strong memories of the words in mind when we tested tomorrow.

"Ah, sure, that would be good. I don't think I can help you with memorizing better, but it's a little less boring to study with two people, right?" Haruka answered, looking unsure of herself.

"Right," I agreed, trying to smile a smile that would ooze enthusiasm and encouragement into the room. Haruka-chan walked to her desk and opened a drawer, from which emerged her school notebook and a Japanese-English dictionary.

"You look like you're really serious, Haruka-chan," I said.

"Huh?"

"Your ponytail," I explained. "If you had a headband with a slogan, the picture would be complete."

"Oh!" She laughed. "It's convenient, sometimes."

It was remarkable. With Haruka-chan just sitting in her own room, laughing and--by now, compared to when I had first come in--relaxed, she was an almost perfect student. I couldn't find a word that she didn't know, though her spelling was occasionally off. Not entirely surprising, given the abundance of doubled or silent letters, and something that she easily got better about as we went on. At the same time, thought, it was frustrating to try and study with her. I figured that I would be engaged enough in trying to tutor _her_ in things that she hadn't paid attention to before, but now that this wasn't the case, I found myself running out of things to study, and only belatedly realizing that I was doing pretty good for somebody that had said she needed help.

"You sure you needed to study together, Yukino? Looks like you've got everything down very well," Haruka lapsed into Japanese for a surprised statement, after we'd tried sharing a stilted, awkward conversation in English for a while, just for fun and practice.

"I guess I knew it better than I thought, Haruka-chan," I said, trying to infuse some modesty in my tone. "I must have just been anxious."

"Yeah, you're going to need to relax before the text. Trust me," she appended in a somber tone, her eyes picking a point of space somewhere above my right shoulder and focusing, adopting a self-reproaching expression. "I didn't do so well on that last exam because I let my nerves get the better of me."

"Nerves, Haruka-chan?" I couldn't help sounding surprised. I knew she got distracted by things, but I had never once allowed myself to think of it as nervousness on her part, I didn't know she did that. "I knew you could have a lot of nerve, sometimes--in a good way!--but I never thought of Haruka-chan being nervous."

"It happens occasionally," she grumbled, flushing, but she smiled. "Believe it or not. Actually, don't believe it, I'd rather have you think me infallably confident and brave."

"I don't think I could ever stop seeing you like that, Haruka-chan. I'd see you charging the Black Knight with your sword high while you chewed the fingernails of the other hand."

"Ah..." She blinked several times. "I think I got the gist of that, but Black Knight? Why am I suddenly doing battle with an English villain?"

"Because we're studying English, of coures," I said, thinking that sounded a little better than explaining my long-held view of her as a shining knight-prince from my childhood storybooks.

"Of course," she acknowledged, nodding in understanding. The effect was put off slightly when her stomach gurgled. I looked in surprise first at her, then at the clock. We had been studying for nearly two-and-a-half hours, somehow.

"Er, sorry about that," Haruka-chan apologized. "For that matter, did you eat before you came over?"

"No, I haven't eaten," I said truthfully. Now that I realized what time it was, my stomach seemed to take note, and I did find that I was a little hungry.

"Why don't I go get us a little something to snack on? I'll be right back." Haruka-chan wheeled her chair out from under her desk and stood, walking out of the room. I was alone in her room. As most people's do, whenever left alone in a new place, I took the chance to examine my surroundings a little more closely. It was kind of hard; Haruka-chan's room was sparsely decorated, outfitted with little more than the necessities of a desk, bed, and door. Er, two doors, I amended, but I wasn't about to peek in her closet, that would be rude and she could come back at any moment. I didn't see a dresser anywhere, so I wondered if she kept her clothes in there. A few things colliding in my mind, I wondered too if she had any new clothes to wear, as most of her other things must have been starting to get small on her, like her uniform had. I could just say I wanted to look at her wardrobe, couldn't I? Wasn't that something that a friend was _supposed_ to be interested in and perfecly reasonable?

I opened the closet, and immediately felt disappointed. What was really appalling is that I couldn't say _why_ I was disappointed. I saw her winter uniform hanging up, and privately thought that, with what I'd seen of her figure, she wasn't going to be able to wear that a few months. I didn't see anything that jumped out at me; a couple of jackets, pants, skirts, blouses and shirts. Actually, I blushed a little, seeing that her closet was a lot emptier than mine. Eyes casting down, I saw a small set of cardboard drawers that I assumed she must keep socks and undergarments and such in, and I slowly backed up and closed the closet, feeling ashamed of myself. Shaking my head, I walked over and had a seat on her bed. It felt thin, and didn't help my mood, but my eyes managed to find their way to her photographs again.

I looked at the one of she and I again, picking it up and smiling at it. I was wearing that same disoriented expression I usually did in pictures of she and I, as though I'd just stumbled into the picture and been told "smile!" That was usually caused in part by Haruka-chan usually having to reach behind herself and pull me forward instead of hiding behind her, but I think that there was more to it. I knew at some level that Haruka-chan wasn't a very social person, either, and that she didn't have a whole lot of friends other than me, but she still carried that princely persona to me most of the time, and it had emerged at strange times when we were younger. I chuckled at myself, "when we were younger," I thought, and yet that was only two years ago. But whenever I had been expected to pose for a picture with her, by either her parents or mine, I had always felt uncomfortable. Not because I didn't like my picture taken, but because it seemed odd to think of me and her in that way, friends that would have pictures taken together. That was something that happened in those stories of fast friends that had known one another since they could remember, right? It was strange to think of Haruka-chan and I like those strong, long-lasting unshakeable friendships that I read about.

My eyes fell beyond the picture I held, at the other two decorating her table. One I recognized immediately as Haruka-chan's parents. Her father was a stern-looking man with dark hair and deep lines in his brow and at the corners of his mouth, but his posture was relaxed in this picture, and though he was wearing a button-up white shirt, it was unbuttoned down his chest, and at least a few of those lines were associated with the smile that he wore, matching the smile in his expressive violet eyes. I had often thought those had seemed extremely odd for him, and that he should have a darker eye colour, but on rare occasons like this one they seemed to match. Her mother was wearing a yellow summer dress that couldn't quite match the gold of her hair, cut short around her ears. I understood that long hair would have been a hazard in the job she had worked a few years ago, and she'd become accustomed to it. She had a tendency to make an adoring fuss over Haruka's silky, long hair, though, as I'd noticed when I had gone places with them before. Her eyes somehow didn't match, either; they were so dark as to be almost black. I noticed that when I looked at them individually like that, I noticed their peculiarities, but taking it as a whole, I saw a whole. Their individual mismatches seemed to make them even more fit for one another, and there in the middle was Haruka-chan, the perfect result of their matching.

The other picture was harder to place, and much to my consternation, it remained hard to place. I could only assume that it was a pair of her grandparents; which one it was I couldn't tell; their hair was gray and they didn't resemble either of her parents very strongly. It bothered me suddenly that I didn't know anything about her family besides her mother and father. Could this be a pair of grandparents that had passed away, and that's why she kept a picture of them nearby? Or perhaps they lived far away and she kept a picture here to remind her of them, while she actually got to see her other grandparents often. Maybe one of her parents was estranged from his or her _own _parents, and Haruka had never gotten the chance to know them. I set it down with a frown, bothered. Before I could be too bothered, though, my mind was torn away to something a great deal more disturbing.

I smelled smoke.

At first it just passed through a breath like a passing thought, but the next hinted rather strongly that I hadn't imagined it, and a second later the smell was so thick that I was running through the door before I'd had a chance to exhale it out.

"Haruka-chan!?" I shouted, and my eyes widened at the cloud of smoke on the cieling, but after that first alarming sight I noticed that the flames were confined to a small patch on the stove that Haruka-chan was beating at furiously with double-handfuls of rapidly-disintigrating kitchen towels. Her face turned to me, a silent alarm in her eyes. Looking around quickly, my first destination was the cabinets under the sink. Of course, Haruka-chan's parents were sensible people, so I was right to think there was a fire-extinguisher in there. Grabbing it, pulling the pin, and aiming, I soon had the stove covered in a layer of thick foam and free of flames. I looked around for what had been burning, but at first all I saw was blackened fragments of the towels she had been using. My eyes were starting from the smoke, and I squeezed them closed to moisten and protect them. I felt the fire-extinguisher gently lifted from my grasp and a _thunk _as it was set aside, and then a pair of firm hands grasped me by the shoulders and led me away from the stove. I opened my eyes after they began to feel better, and found myself near the door. I looked around for Haruka-chan, but she was gone and I almost panicked, irrationally I'll admit, but I was scared, but then she emerged from her parent's room with a box fan and opened the door, setting it there and turning it on to ventilate the apartment. I shook my head, and crouched to grab Haruka-chan's hands from where she sat. She jerked them away from me though, and I was hurt. Apparently, however, so was she.

"Yowch!" She yelped, and held her hands up to her face. When I looked at her eyes looking at her hands, I also saw that they were red and rimmed with tears, obviously stinging something _fierce_. Looking at her hands, too, I saw that they were terribly red, and regretted grabbing them like I had.

"Haruka-chan, you need to get those under some running water," I said, my mind finally finding something firm to latch onto. "It's actually getting worse the longer you wait," I told her matter-of-factly, and she got up without saying a word and walked to the sink. Hurrying a step ahead of her, I turned the water on, just a shade of cool from luke-warm ( I didn't want it to be a shock and hurt her) although she still grimaced when she thrust her hands into the water and I saw her arms stiffen.

"Okay, that ought to do it," I said after about fifteen seconds. My mom had taught me a little bit about burns, she worked in a hospital. I grabbed a couple of paper towels from a roll and told her to hold out her hands. As gently as I could, though her cheek twitched now and again, I dried her hands and had a look at them. They were bright red, but I only saw one blister forming on her left pinkie finger.

"Do you have any lotion, Haruka-chan? Aloe-vera based, preferably?" I asked.

"I think so, look at that bottle on top of the refrigerator, my mom uses it after she does dishes or takes a bath."

I went and got it.

"Before we apply this, though, we need to wash your eyes out. You don't want to be using your hands too much right now, so..." I walked to the sink and turned the water back on, cupping my hands and filling them with water. "Could you lean over the sink? This might not work very well, but I'll try my best." Haruka leaned over and I did my best to splash water in her eyes as though she were the one doing it, though it was awkward from beside her. I did that three times, and told her to go ahead and upright herself, grabing a paper towel to pat her face dry, and wiping away the underside of her eyes with my thumbs. Her cheeks were really soft, I realized, her wet skin sliding like silk under my fingers.

XXXXXXX

I felt a little helpless while Yukino took care of me, but as soon as I had finished taking care of her and plugging in the fan, I'd become acutely aware of my hands _burning _as though they were still on fire, and my eyes felt little better, so I hadn't argued when she took charge of giving me some first-aid. My eyes felt a whole lot better after she washed them out, though my hands somehow felt even worse now. She _said _it had been good, though, so I tried not to focus on them. She wiped the underside of my eyes a lot of times with her fingers, though there wasn't any dripping water after the first or second time, but I didn't want to berate her or anything, the careful, gentle look in her eyes as she took care of me was wonderful, and a lot more... solid than the trepidation I usually saw behind her expression.

She squirted some of the lotion into her hands next, and started rubbing it into my burns. Her hands and face were incredibly gentle, but liquid velvet would have felt like sandpaper to my raw flesh right now, so I did my best not to complain and bear with it. After the first few shocking moments of cold and raw rubbing, though, they started to feel a little bit better, and she got a little bit more lotion before she was finished, for good measure.

"They're mostly first-degree burns," she explained as she rubbed my hands, "The pain mostly comes from all the moisture being burned from the flesh. There's a little blister on your pinkie, indicating the heat exposure was a little more serious around there, but it should be okay. Didn't you remember that there was a fire-extinguisher under the sink, Haruka-chan?"

I was glad that she was paying such careful attention to her job, so she wouldn't see me blush. "Um, kind of. I just, her, was waiting for the right time to go get it," I answered lamely.

"I see," she said, and now I was rather irritated that I couldn't see her face, because I had no idea what kind of meaning she had imbued that with, so neutral was her speech. Her touch was gentle enough and the soothing feel of the lotion soaking in so welcome that I didn't mind for a while, but eventually I came to realize that she had been at it for quite a while, and I was pretty sure that all the lotion had been worked in.

"Er, is massage important to the burns, too, Yukino?" I hazarded. She looked up suddenly, and her glasses jumped on her nose and fell just barely askew, kind of cutely.

"Er, ah, no, not really, Haruka-chan," she said, letting go of my hands. "But, er, make sure that we apply some more later, before you go to bed. Depending on how the burns look in the morning you might want to do some more; you just definitely want to keep the skin moist until its better. I'd hate to see something bad happen to hands as beautiful as yours," she continued in her matter-of-fact tone, but suddenly a blush infused her cheeks. i got the feeling she hadn't actually meant to say that last part aloud.

"Er, if you say so," I said, holding up my hands to see. "I don't think it would be all that great a loss," I remarked. I didn't ever use extra moisturizer, and kept my nails short, so I didn't see much of anything "beautiful" in them. "I don't owe them any particularly ill-will, though, so I'll follow the doctors orders."

"What started the fire, anyway?" She asked suddenly.

"Oh, just a little oil fire. Spilled, and the gas flame..." I stopped short, to Yukino's alarm, and went to turn off the gas on the stove. Yukino looked at me wide-eyed.

"Er, it's been well-ventilated, you don't suppose...?" I asked, and left the question hanging in the air.

"It's probably okay?" She said.

"No smoking for at least a half-hour," I said facetiously, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Right," she answered with a chuckle. "What were you heating oil for a snack for?" She asked curiously.

Ah... I didn't feel as though I wanted to tell her that I was trying to think of something that seemed more like _cooking _that warming something up or grabbing it from the pantry, just to try to kind of, well, impress her or pay her back more appropriately for her lunches.

"I, er, just felt a sudden craving for something fried," I answered, looking away. She just smiled up at me, andI felt relieved. Her expression shifted, though, and her eyes looked over my shoulder. I turned to see a man in a uniform looking somewhat confused and uncomfortable in my doorway, blue, pressed pants ruffling in the wind of the box fan.

"Er, is this the Suzushiro residence?" He asked hesitatingly.

"It is. This is Suzushiro Haruka, can I help you?" I said as politely as I could with burned hands, a gym-shirt-with-school-skirt-wardrobe, likely red eyes, a smoke-tinged room, and a friend standing behind me.

"Telegram," he answered, and I could only stare at him, one eyebrow slowly climbing its way up my forehead.

"Telegram?" I repeated skeptically.

"Telegram," he repeated firmly. I thought about that for a moment.

"Telegram?" I repeated again, a little less disbelievingly, but still a little doubtful. He rolled his eyes--quite rude, I thought. I was never going to use _this _telegram service--and answered one more time.

"Telegram." He offered his hand with a piece of paper, and before I could grab it with my lotioned-and-tender hands, Yukino offered her hand first. To the impolite fellow's credit, he looked to me for affirmation before allowing her to accept it, and I nodded. He left..

"What's it say, Yukino?"

"Let's see." She opened it. "Dear Suzushiro-san, stop. I do believe it escapes your acceptable boundaries of responsibility to expect you to spend your own resources for a new uniform, stop. I'd hate to imagine the cost in transcribing _that _many words," Yukino noted absently, then continued. "So I have enclosed cash in sufficient amount to cover that cost, stop. I am nothing more than a concerned benefactor, stop. This invonveniences me in no way, stop. Also enclosed is a promotional offer for a free meal from a local establishment, stop. Please enjoy, stop. Please keep being such a diligent student, stop. Never abandon your standards of excellence, stop." Yukino finished with a tone of awe, and held up for my eyes a thin layer of crisp yen, and a coupon for a pizza chain restaurant that had recently opened up nearby. I was speechless.

"It looks like there's enough here for two tailored uniforms, Haruka-chan, summer and winter, and the coupon looks official. Who in the world...?" She shook her head, and looked questioningly at me.

"I have no idea," I answered. "I guess... that's actually really creepy. Is somebody stalking me!?" I demanded indignantly.

"It _is _rather mysterious, Haruka-chan," Yukino admitted. "But I don't know that you would be able to do anything in that case. 'Excuse me, officer, somebody gave me money, a free meal, and told me I was a good person, and now I fear for my safety,'?" She said, and I admitted there was something of a lack of threat in that scenario.

"So, pizza?" Yukino suggested. "It sure is a convenient extra for this person to throw along now, isn't it? Might as well make the best of things," she added, as though reading my thoughts of feeling guilty for taking advantage of an unknown benefactor.

"Uh, sure, I guess?" I answered hesitatingly. "I've never actually had any, isn't it kind of expensive?" I clamped down on my tongue; I hadn't needed to add that last part.

"A little bit," she answered. "But is there anything you know that you don't like?"

I thought for a moment. "No corn, it's bad for the digestion. Something spicy would be nice, though, peppers maybe?" I ventured. "Oh! But maybe not, you don't like spicy that much--"

"It's okay, I think I can get the toppings in halves, I'll see what they tell me."

XXXXXXX

I called the establishment and inquired as to getting something delivered. The offer didn't cover delivery charge, but I had a little bit of money so I thought I could just do it, and probably hide it from her, so I told them that was fine. In the end I just ended up ordering a basic supreme, though I didn't know what it was. They just told me that, no, it didn't have corn and, yes, I could add peppers to it, and they offered jalapenos as a recommendation, so I put that on half. Finishing with that, I looked down at the coupon slip, as though it might offer some hint as to who had done this. the name of the pizza store was somewhat generic, and didn't have a family name associated with it, and neither did the little copyright talking about the owners and proprietors. I firmly told myself to ignore it, and turned the paper upside-down.

Letting my eyes fall on it one more time was definitely my mistake. On the back there was a tiny bit of text giving credit to the advertising firm that had produced some of the design work on the flier that this had come from. The name, "Fujino" stood out at me in characters that seemed impossibly enormous, filling my eyes until I couldn't see anything else and drumming themselves in my mind. I first tried to tell myself that Fujino was a perfectly common surname. When I replied to myself that this argument was a load of crap, I then told myself to shut up and not think about it, and went back to Haruka-chan's room, where she had retreated to.

"It should be here in about a half and hour," I told her quietly, mind shrieking that her rival and passive tormenter was also her mysterious benefactor (stalker?).

"That's good, I finally remembered that I'm still hungry," she answered with a smile. "Now, how about we get a little bit more studying done?" She suggested. "That's why you came over, right?"

"Oh, yes," I said, trying to return her smile. She suggested the right thing, though, because my mind switched so effortlessly into an academic frame and away from other thoughts that it seemed a divinely-inspiring blessing that managed to continue most of the night. The pizza came eventually, and even the knowledge of its source couldn't deny the fact that it was _good_. I made Haruka let me feed her, though. Half of the reason was because I was worried about her hands, even tightening her hand to hold her pen bothered me, but--I _knew _that she needed to use her hands and maintain flexibility in her skin, so at some level I knew that I was bold to be thinking that even _half _the reason was that--more I just wanted to... feed her. I don't know why, it just kind of felt nice, and her silly grin as we persisted in the little ritual was a treasure. Soon the pizza box was empty, and we had changed into our pajamas. Sometime durning the night, too, I offered to sew up her uniform for tomorrow so she wouldn't have to use her gym shirt again. She argued, and I learned that it was slightly too small for her, but I argued too, saying that the same must be true about her gym shirt, so she eventually relented and I spent a little while sewing her uniform up. While I was doing so, I was a little amused at how Haruka-chan kept studying, and occasionally asking an absent-minded question to me, not even seeming to have noticed that we had utterly forsaken the pretense that this study session was mostly for my benefit. The next thing I knew, we must have fallen asleep. I got the better end of the bargain, having laid down on her bed as I began to get a little fatigued. Haruka-chan must have fallen asleep at her desk, as that was the last place I saw her.

XXXXXX

I woke up next to Yukino on the bed, having that feeling that I hadn't gotten anywhere _near _a healthy amount of sleep and wondering why I was waking up anyway, but the realization that it was the _sun _which had woken me up, by being a good deal brighter and angling in my window at a level other than it usually did when I first awoke. I lay there, letting that sink in, and then I sat up, tried to leap out of bed, and ended up flopping over Yukino's sleeping form. She was apparently awoken by the sound of my heavy flopping onto the floor, and looked around bleary-eyed.

"Wh-what? Where the who can ka-chan?" She mumbled.

"Wake up, wake up!" I shouted, a little more harshly than I intended. "We're late, late for school!"

"Huh, what?" She shook her head, and rubbed her eyes roughly. "Late, what, how?" She said, confusion dripping from her voice. I couldn't have been sure if she even realized that she wasn't at home, but I answered anyway.

"Forgot to set my alarm, now hurry, we need to get going!"

Eventually she came to her better senses and we got our things gathered back up and got dressed, although Yukino took _forever _about it. I had stripped naked and put everything back on, only to look back and find her staring stupidly in my direction--I felt bad for even thinking stupidly later, but I wasn't in a good mood. Honestly she seemed alert at that point, of all the times to zone out with her mind on who-knows-what!

We walked out of the door and I started walking quickly in the direction of the school. It was a pretty good way, so I knew we couldn't run the whole way, and would only manage to get there panting, sweaty, and drained anyway, so I checked my impatience and we walked to school. For the most part, anyway. When we got to school, I felt relieved, all the way up until students started pouring out of the building, and I noted the high position of the sun. I muttered something under my breath that I only had once before on school grounds, and broke into a run.

"H-Haruka-chan?"

"We just missed the English test!" I yelled over my shoulder, and heard her steps running, too, but I also heard myself outrun them rather easily. Looking back over my shoulder, I saw Yukino hugging her bag to her chest and slowed for a moment, grabbing a hand and pulling her along with me.

XXXXXXXX

Pulling me along with her, as always. Haruka-chan grabbed my hand in her warm, fast grip--I felt the roughness of them and realized that I hadn't told her to put on any more lotion, and realized that this kind of grip must pain her--and pulled me along at her pace. After a few stumbling steps, my glasses slipping crooked, I was able to stabilize my stride and go along with her, everything around me sinking in to realize that it was lunch time.

We burst into the classroom to see Miss Nakamura putting up her belongings, clearly preparing for her own break. We stopped just beyond the doorway, heaving and panting for breath. Haruka-chan was much more athletic than I and caught her breath first.

"Miss Nakamura, I apologize! Yukino and I overslept, and it's entirely fault, I forgot to set my alarm while we were studying. Please, if nothing else allow her to take the test without repurcussion, and I'll take whatever you deem fit as punishment." I heard her words, and if I wasn't already out of breath, the declaration might have taken my breath away. I tried to summon the words to argue with her, but they wouldn't come.

"Oh, is that what happened?" Miss Nakamura said with a nonchalance that seemed wholly out of place given Haruka's deathly formal and selfless pronouncement. "Of course, you can both take the test, right now if you like. That way you're less likely to be accused of cheating, of course, and I don't have to draft a new test. That sound alright?"

"What? That's it?" Haruka said immediately, disbelievingly.

"Of course. You're both exemplary students, and most of the faculty believe that you'd rather eat your textbooks than be dishonest, Suzushiro-san. I think we can make a little exception this time. Don't make it a habit, though."

"I won't!" Haruka-chan affirmed emphatically, and I had recovered enough to stand calmly and bow in thanks, smiling at her. I could almost see Haruka-chan swelling with pride beside me for the praise.

After the test, I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, though. I wasn't quite sure if our studying had worked, because although she and Fujino tied in score later--and I as well, we all aced it--Haruka-chan wasn't able to take the test in a classroom environment, with the rest of the students and her rival around. Still, she did well, which was enough for me and for her at the moment. Haruka-chan was filled with confidence for the rest of that year, and I had a new memory to cherish, her taking the time to keep me with her, pulling me along to class in that, my first year of middle school, and selflessly, my well-being the first thing in her mind, try to convince Miss Nakamura that I shouldn't be punished for being so late. It might have been sometime around here that I stopped loving her quite like a prince, and started loving her for the woman she was becoming before my eyes.

XXXXXXX

Right, everything had ended up fantastically back then, I recall. So, while I feel the stares of Haruka-chan's parents on us as we walk up the stairs to her bedroom to drop off our belongings, I can't help but feel a certain optimism for the weekend. No matter what, despite what she might have to face, Haruka-chan has always done what she felt to be right an,d lucky for me, she has recently determined that it is right to be with me on campus.

"Er, you can take a guest bedroom if you like, Yukino," Haruka-chan mentions as we walk towards her room. "You don't have to share with me."

"That's okay, Haruka-chan. I want to stay in your room again, it's been a while. Feels like forever," I mentioned wistfully. It was such a pleasant time, when I hadn't known how I felt about Haruka-chan, how strongly I would come to want her, and her presence, and her... everything, and how much it would hurt not to have it; yet, looking back, I knew it was the same feeling back then, and time was the only difference between then and now.

"Thanks for saying so, Yukino. You're always welcome," she added. I thought briefly of the last year, when that party at the villa had been held and I had disappeared with a simple, "good night," to her, not wanting to risk being told no if I asked to stay in her room, with so many fellow students around. Another moment of hesitation, later looked on with regret. They certainly were piling up.

I was going to have to stop doing that, I knew. We walked into her room and after setting our luggage down, sat down on her fluffy bed, representative of the soft, warm, pleasurable side of Haruka-chan that the rest of the world never got to see, one that I didn't even see as much of as I had used to. It was another regret, I suppose, and I was suddenly reminded of my contact with Kuga-san the other day, wondering if love could change that for Haruka-chan, make her show that soft side more. I allowed myself to briefly entertain the far-fetched notion that perhaps _I _was the one who might be able to do that.

That was silly, though. If that was going to happen, I was going to have to make it happen. I was going to have to speak up, and make myself understood. The silent could never be understood, after all. She had said that. Nobody was going to offer any mysterious aid in this endeavor. My mind flew back to that mysterious telegram. Even today, I hadn't been able to fully convince myself that it had been Fujino-san who had sent that, though her disposition towards inexplicable acts and seeming omniscience, which had only grown over the years, certainly seemed to support it. I chuckled inside, though it was tinged with sadness. I _certainly_ couldn't expect any sudden, inexplicable help from _that _person with my prbolem.

"Come on, Yukino. They'll be expecting to see us again soon, I could tell. Better not to give them time to prepare and call us, right?" She stood and held out her hand. I took it, smiling.

"They're your parents, Haruka-chan," I pointed out. "You make them sound like an enemy, or something similar."

She looked back at me, an expression I couldn't readily identify in her face, but then turned her face forward. "I don't care who they are, anybody who tries to step between us _is _something like an enemy." Her hand tightened on mine. "And the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

I could only stay silent for a moment. This was somewhat apart from her usual pronunciation error, but I still felt I had to say something. "Ah, I don't know that that saying really applies to anything here, Haruka-chan."

"Oh?" She replied, and I started to focus on the fact that she still hadn't let go of my hand. "Oh well, it might not apply, but I guess it's true? If somebody stepped in right now and did something to help bring us together, I would have to think of them as a friend. Right." Her words slipped right past me at that moment, my mind focused entirely on the warmth of her hand and starting to worry about the purpose of the weekend meeting with her parents. It might have paid off later for me to pay more attention to her words, but once again, I think everything managed to turn out alright, and sometimes it's the results that matter. I let myself be linked with Haruka-chan for now, going at her pace as she held my hand and pulled me along, fully intent on protecting and caring for me. Some things never changed, from beginning to end.

_*Author's note_

_Well jee-zuz, aren't I a procrastinator? However, I think I'm finally ready to say that I'm putting the lid on this one, and marking up another fic as complete. There are woefully few of those compared to the "in-progress" ones, aren't there? Thank you all for staying with this effort, though._

_In case you couldn't tell, these were kind of started to be a prequel of sorts to my other YuHaru fic, "Tea Leaves, Coffee Beans, and a Touch of Mint." For those that haven't followed my illustrious (lol right) fanfiction career, I started that one far before this one, and that one was actually my first fic ever. Though I started this after I started that one, updates have been... interesting for both (omg two effin' year wtf!?), and I'm actually finishing the last two chapters of this fic after I penned the last word of Tea Leaves (two chapters are currently finished and in the editing process, but life happens, and that's just a little pitfall of collaborative work that we have to deal with to get something spectacular). I tried at the end here to kind of give some foreshadowing to that fic, so if you haven't read that one I would request that you go do so (it might be interesting to start, I think my writing style has shifted over time, but it remains my favorite fic regardless, for a number of reasons, my first, I think my best, the amount of input and aweseomness that Enshi put into it, that sort of thing). If you've already read Tea Leaves up to where it is, I hope you can have a little ironic lol at the ending here, and I promise that Tea Leaves has to be finished as some point, because it is finished, despite the lack of posting. Try and go enjoy some of my other unfinished fics? Or, if you just feel the need for horrible crushing sadness, check out my other YuHaru fic "Hesitation" for a face-falling "wtf?" experience. _

_In addition, for faithful readers, I want to mention that I went back and adjusted the second part of this fic (about Haruka's first visit to Yukino's in primary school) for less confusion. It was an entertaining experiment in view point in writing, but writing is always going to be about reaching people for me, and after some comments I'm afraid it might have been turning people off, so I made the leaps between view point more clearly defined._

_Woo, chalk up one finished fic! Here's to more to follow! (hint, What Worth and Still-Life Sketch are the two that actually have anything written for the next chapter, although Two Kitties' has some concept-work built up behind it, so one of those three are likely to be next, though how long that might take is... don't hold your breath. I might make it before you die, but I don't want to take that chance ^^;;_


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